Kadic in Shadow
by CLBONE13
Summary: Eight groups of teenage heroes enter a mysterious sector on Lyoko that unites them and puts them up against deadly enemies.
1. Chapter 1

**PROLOUGE**

 **For the past 900 years, stories of the fantastic Red King and his 10 children: Borlath, Amadis, Lilth, Cafall, Petrello, Mortia, Gaunhamara, Tolmeo, Draco, and Amoret, have captured our imagination but the stories of their descendents are being told even as we speak. We all know that when the queen died the king went out to weep in the forest taking along his three leopards and there he turned himself into a tree and his leopards into cats, immortal cats and sent them out to protect the good children . But it has never been told before that, among seeing the king bowed with grieve in the forest the goddess Artemis and her huntress Zoe Nightshade went to the god Zeus and the Lord God in the highest and asked if they could help the king. As of that night the Greek gods no longer as much as mingled with regular mortals, they would only marry children of The Red King, who saw through their mists and sometimes even felt their monster's bite. As the years went a misinterpreted prophecy came about causing Zeus and his brothers Poseidon and Hades to try to stop them, from ever having children with mortals again. Zeus caved first and had a daughter, Thalia, then Poseidon who had a son, Perseus, it is at present unknown whether Hades kept his word or not. They had tried to avoid having children due to this prophecy for it said: that the next child of one of them who reached sixteen may overthrow Olympus. But as usual either the Oracle had missed something or the people had. The prophecy spook not of a destructive half-blood, but of an army of 50 or 52 children, led by a son of Poseidon, a daughter of Athena, a reader of a secret compass, a mind-reading former servant boy, an Egyptian prince, an energy witch, the keeper of a remarkable field guide, a fire witch, a picture traveler, a secret illusionist, the Avatar, a water, a technocrat and a pink witch, who would overthrow Kronos the titan and many other villains. Unknown to everyone, including each other, all the children have so far lived incredibly extraordinary lives in small groups, but far away from the others. Lives that were unlucky, strange, secretive, and frightening, but soon they will be brought together through a rift that hasn't yet been broken but is meant to be, through a school field trip they all will go on and through a renegade son of Hades with a thirst to avenge his dead sister. It will not be until that faithful night that the truth of the prophecy will be revealed, not until then that Venetia Yewbeam will do any good, and until then will it be known that twoadults other thenLyell Bone have been captured and hypnotized two mothers named Ursa Flameo and her sister Antea Hopper.**


	2. Prologue

PROLOUGE

For the past 900 years, stories of the fantastic Red King and his 10 children: Borlath, Amadis, Lilth, Cafall, Petrello, Wyborn, Gaunhamara, Tolmeo, Olga, and Amoret, have captured our imagination but the stories of their descendents are being told even as we speak. We all know that when the queen died the king went out to weep in the forest taking along his three leopards and there he turned himself into a tree and his leopards into cats, immortal cats and sent them out to protect the good children . But it has never been told before that, among seeing the king bowed down with grief in the forest the goddess Artemis and her huntress Zoe Nightshade went to the god Zeus and the Lord God in the highest and asked if they could help the king. As of that night the Greek gods no longer as much as mingled with regular mortals, they would only marry children of The Red King, who saw through their mists and sometimes even felt their monster's bite. As the years went by a misinterpreted prophecy came about causing Zeus and his brothers Poseidon and Hades to try to stop them, from ever having children with mortals again. Zeus caved first and had a daughter, Thalia, then Poseidon who had a son, Perseus, it is at present unknown whether Hades kept his word or not. They had tried to avoid having children due to this prophecy for it said: that the next child of one of them who reached sixteen may overthrow Olympus. But as usual either the Oracle had missed something or the people had. The prophecy spook not of a destructive half-blood, but of an army of 52 or 54 children, led by a son of Poseidon, a daughter of Athena, a reader of a secret compass, a mind-reading former servant boy, an energy witch, the keeper of a remarkable field guide, a light witch, a fierce warrior, a picture traveler, a secret illusionist, the Avatar, a water witch, a technocrat and a pink witch, who would overthrow Kronos the titan and many other villains. Unknown to everyone, including each other, all the children have so far lived incredibly extraordinary lives in small groups, but far away from the others. Lives that were unlucky, strange, secretive, and frightening, but soon they will be brought together through a rift that hasn't yet been broken but is meant to be, through a camping trip they all will go on and through a renegade son of Hades with a thirst to avenge his dead sister. It will not be until that faithful night that the truth of the prophecy will be revealed, not until then that Venetia Yewbeam will do any good, and until then will it be unknown that twoadults other thenLyell Bone have been captured and hypnotized two mothers named Ursa Flameo and her sister Antea Hopper **.**


	3. Graduation

**CHAPTER 1: GRADUATION**

Kadic Academy Junior high in Glen Oak Pennsylvania May 21 1500s hours

" **I barely call this a 'monkey suit'." Odd Della Robia fiddled with his tie, "Why do we have to wear this garbage? We're graduating from Middle school, not college" Aelita Hopper and Jeremy Belquois couldn't help smirking. "Is that the problem Odd" Jeremy asked helping him fix his tie, "Or is it the fact your parents invited themselves before you invited them?" "Hey this wouldn't be the first time" Odd shouted back "they've been doing this since preschool! I repeat PRESCHOOL!" "Some people have all the luck" Aelita thought out loud.** _ **Her**_ **father hadn't wanted to come to the graduation** _ **in person**_ **that is. Aelita's father had just recently returned from eluding Xana (an evil artificial intelligence he'd created) on the worldwide web just a few months ago Aelita Jeremy, Odd, and their friends William Dunbar, Ulrich Stern and Yumi Ishyama had defeated Xana after 2-and-a-half years of fighting him they had done it all with the help of a virtual world called Lyoko inside a super computer, in the final battle with Xana, Aelita's father Franz Hopper had been on the verge of sacrificing himself, she had protected him and saved his life only by shouting "I love you". Now as far as Yumi and Ulrich were concerned they were done with Lyoko, but the truth was the super computer was on and would stay on for good, Franz was currently in search of a way to keep it on forever. He also had gotten a terrible limp the night they defeated Xana, Aelita knew the real reason her dad had wanted to use a spy cam to see the graduation: the men in black, a group of mysterious agents who had kidnapped Aelita's mother, Antea when she was just eight. "How'd you even get your dad to come" Jeremy asked, "I mean he is coming isn't he" Aelita smiled. "Of course he is." She said, "After two days I was able to convince how less suspicious and embarrassing he is compared to a spy cam on a fifty-foot wire" "You said it Princess" Odd said, "Some people** _ **do**_ **have all the luck!" Just then Ulrich Stern came out on stage; he was frowning as he had been since the day Aelita, Jeremy, Odd and William had made their vow. "It's starting in ten minutes" Was all he said. Sissi Delmas, the spoiled daughter of the principal, and the reason Aelita's father had to put a security system in the factory, walked out with her two cronies: Nicholas Polkioff and Herb Pichon. "Hey Mrs. Einstein, I didn't know your daddy would be coming to the graduation" Sissi jeered. Aelita groaned. "He only missed one parent-teacher conference" she insisted. "And 10 PTA meetings. " "With his schedule and paranoia, you shouldn't be so annoying about it" Aelita cried angrily. "Well his 'schedule and paranoia' shouldn't be getting in the way anymore, next year when we're in the league with Bloor's Academy. Mr. Ezekiel doesn't like absence from student or** _ **parents**_ **" Sissi turned to Ulrich, "By the way Ulrich Sweetie, you're not still thinking about dating Yumi next year. Are you?" "Sorry Sissi, but I'm going to be dating Yumi before the end of the day." Ulrich said. Ulrich had for Yumi, what Aelita had for Jeremy; a secret crush, but now Ulrich and Yumi were acting, Aelita felt she and Jeremy could never be more than friends. "Fine" Sissi huffed, "But you weirdo's better watch out I know your secret" "Me too" said Nicholas through a mouthful of cream cheese flavored cake and soda. "What secret?" asked Herb. "That is getting** _ **so**_ **annoying." Odd said. Little did the group know because of Ulrich and Yumi's turning off of the supercomputer, Sissi hadn't just been able to find out even more about Lyoko than she had with it already on, but she and Nicholas were actually able to travel there. Aelita looked out into the crowd, her father was sitting there all by himself.** _ **I wish Mum was here.**_ **She thought. No one noticed Yumi's 12-year-old cousin Toph Beifong and her friends sneaking into the back row.**

" **We're all clear" Toph Beifong stole a glance at the stage, "They won't even see us go in it'll be a complete surprise" "What's surprising" said Katara Quong, "Is that you think we can pull this off! It's illegal!" "Hold the phone Sweetness" said Toph, "We're Backstaging a graduation for like twenty-thirty minutes not robbing a bank! It's totally legal" Avatar Aang shrugged, he had some doubts of his own about moving in with Toph's "famous" cousin and her "awesome" friends but the legality of "Backstaging" their school graduation had been only number five. "If it's** _ **'TOTALLY LEGAL**_ **'?" questioned Prince Zuko, "Why is it so important that big mean looking guy with the fist doesn't see us" "Because if Jim sees us Backstaging we're all dead" said Toph. Toph and Katara's older brother Sokka took a peek at the Kadic Academy Gym teacher whose name happened to Jim. "By the looks of that guy" said Sokka, "I'd rather take my chances with Fire Lord Ozai" "I think we're the same page there Sokka" said Aang feeling puny.** **There was currently a war going on between Japan (the Earth Kingdom), and the poles (the Water Tribe), and Saudi Arabia (the Fire Nation), it had been going for the past 100 years, there had once been a country in the war called Siam (the Air Nomads) but the ruthless fire benders had killed every Air Bender but one, it was Aang, he was the Avatar master of all the elements, water, earth, fire, and air he looked 12 going on 13, but Aang was really 112 years old going on 113. Just a month ago they had an advantage of ending the war, a solar eclipse bound to leave the Saudi Arabians defenseless, it was not to be, Zuko's sister Azula and his father Fire Lord Ozai had tricked them, Katara, Sokka, and Toph along with their friends Teo Flight, Haru Dav Id So, and the Duke had run away to the Western Air temple, three days later Zuko had joined them. Not long afterword Sokka and Zuko had freed Katara and Sokka's father Hakoda and their friend Suki Heron from prison. "Hey I didn't work Appa all the way from Siam to Glen Oak so we could miss my cousin's friends' moving from middle to high school" said Toph, "And I certainly didn't do it so we could waste our time this dump's dorky principle" Aang hid his face to keep from laughing. "Well I still don't think it's ethical" said Katara. "And I don't think it's honorable" said Zuko. "And I don't think it's smart" said Suki Heron. "And I don't think it's worth dying for" said Sokka. "You're with me on this right Twinkle Toes" asked Toph. Aang thought for a minute he didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings and he wanted to meet Toph's cousin and her friends, he just didn't want to get in trouble. Plus Aang had for Katara what Aelita had for Jeremy; he didn't want to upset her. "Well actually Toph," he began, "I don't think it's…." "The best way to begin your stay at Kadic" said a booming voice behind them. All six teenagers turned to see a tall 35-year-old man behind them. "Oh hi Jim" said Toph. "This isn't what it looks like" "So this isn't six hooligans Stagingback" "It's Backstaging" said Toph, "And Yumi couldn't make it before they sent the graduates out something about dropping her hair-dryer in the toilet so me and my peeps are covering for her" "And who are your 'peeps'" asked Jim. "These kids are" "I know that I mean who are they and we are they from" "Oh" said Toph, "This is Katara and Sokka from South Boston, Suki from Kettlecorn Kansas, Zuko from Norway and Aang from Calcutta" "Carry on" Jim left. "Hey Toph" said Sokka, "Why didn't you tell who we were" "Because Snoozles" said Toph, "If he knew who we were he'd know Aang was the Avatar and if he knew we're beyond dead now let's Backstage" They ducked around the chairs.** _ **Oh great**_ **thought Aang,** _ **Now I'm a target.**_ **None of them could hear the argument that several of the Bloor's academy graduating students were having backstage.**

" **I don't see why we have to go before the kids at Kadic" said Fidelio Gunn the music valid Victorian, "it's their school!" "It's aphetically correct" guessed Gabriel Silk, who felt others' emotions through second hand clothes. "Mr. Ezekiel thinks he's better than Mr. Delmas" said Olivia Vertigo the secret illusionist and drama valid Victorian. "What makes you so sure that's it Liv?" asked Emma Tolly the bird girl. "Because they have all different colored hats and gowns" Olivia explained, "and we only have** _ **3**_ **hat-and-gown colors: blue for music, purple for drama, and green for art!" Charlie Bone the picture traveler nodded in agreement, he** _ **knew**_ **that was the reason the Bloor's were sending out their Middle school graduates before Kadic sent theirs out, and he was** _ **positive**_ **it was reason they were wearing expensive color-coded hats and gowns while the Kadic students were wearing secondhand color-mixed ones. "But I'll bet Mr. Ezekiel is** _ **squat**_ **the teacher Mr. Delmas could be" he added. Charlie knew this because he'd tangled with the people who owned his school a few** _ **hundred**_ **times. Come to think of it Charlie, Olivia, Emma, Fidelio Gabriel, their and friends Billy Raven, Lysander Sage, Benjamin Brown and Tancred Torrson were always foiling the Bloor's evil plans, most them were from a group of families called "the endowed" descended from the fantastic Red King, when the king's queen Bereniece died he went off to weep in the forest, while he was there five of his ten children turned to wickedness and the other five left the castle forever, but that war hadn't finished yet, Ezekiel Bloor and his great-grandson Manfred the hypnotist had a deep desire to have control over the endowed children, when Charlie was two the Bloors had kidnapped and hypnotized his father Lyell Bone, having everyone on their side (including Charlie's grandmother and three great-aunts) pretend he was dead for 10 years, but over a year ago when Charlie was twelve they had freed Lyell from the spell with the help his great-uncle Paton Yewbeam. Several months ago the Bloor's had a victory of their own, they sent out a painting of the mysterious land of Badlock and trapped little Billy inside of it. Now Charlie was appalled he hadn't been held back, after all he was always causing the Bloors and those on their side so much trouble. Just then Manfred Bloor walked onto stage with two of the most disgusting endowed children ever to walk the earth: Dorcas Loom, who could bewitch clothes and Dagbert Endless the Drowner. "You all have fifteen minutes before graduation" Manfred barked. "Yeah smarten yourself up Bone" teased Dorcas. "I think he looks as handsome as he's going to get" objected Olivia. "You would" laughed Dagbert, "You love him" Charlie blushed, he did have for Olivia what Aang had for Katara, he just didn't like to admit it. "Hey they're** _ **just friends"**_ **cried Emma, Fidelio, and Gabriel at once. "Enough of this nonsense" cried Manfred, "It's time to meet those from Kadic Charlie Bone you're first!" Charlie gazed out at the crowd.** _ **Why did I have to have a name so early in the alphabet?**_ **He thought to himself. Nobody noticed the four strange kids getting up in the back row.**

" **I still say this is a stupid idea" said Stragg, "This is the wrong way to find the Final Dreamer" "This is the only way we haven't blown yet" said Edien Kellerman, "The Final Dreamer must be here at this school at least" Tony Jones didn't know who to agree with, both his friends made important points and they had to find the Final Dreamer before it was too late. They had from a place called the Moonlands where you could dream up monsters called Dream Creatures and have them fight for you, there a villain named Agram and his hench people called Shadow Magi had tried to take the place over** **,** **Tony, Edien, and Stragg had tried to stop but a month ago Agram had escaped the Core of the Moonlands. A week later the three of them and Stragg's childhood friend Inora Sparks had been sent to Earth to find The Final Dreamer the hero meant to defeat Agram for good. "Hey Stragg's right" said Inora Sparks, "This is a waste of time ""Orwin said the Final Dreamer would be here" said Edien promptly, "So we'll look here" "Who died and made you queen" said Inora immaturely. "Orwin left Tony in charge"  
said Stragg, "He'll know" Tony groaned, he hated being in charge of things. "Well I think Edien's right" he said taking Edien's side because Inora had taken Stragg's, "We should head backstage" "But suppose the Final Dreamer isn't graduating" said Stragg. "Then someone will know where he or she is" said Tony, "Probably it's a small school" "I'll go with Tony's plan" Edien said. Tony blushed, he'd always kind of had for Edien what Charlie had for Olivia, but he was shy around girls and didn't like to ask them out. "All right" said Stragg, "but if we fail I won't call it worth it" "I still think we should go with Stragg's idea" said Inora. The four kids pushed and shoved each other through the chairs. **_**This better be worth it**_ **thought Tony. Everybody didn't notice the quarreling family in the middle row.**

" **But it wasn't even** _ **our**_ **fault we got kicked out of our last school"  
Simon Grace insisted with his father, "And Mom was doing great alone with us until **_**you**_ **showed up with your fiancé, why do** _ **we**_ **have to go to boarding school" "Because of all this fairy nonsense" Mr. Grace barked, "I mean who are you kidding? A brownie that lives in our house did** _ **not**_ **steal honey from your last school's cafeteria" "All right fine Dad" said Simon's older sister Mallory, "Maybe Simon, Jared, and I did steal the honey, but we did it** _ **for the brownie**_ **. So we didn't deserve to get expelled." "There are no such thing as brownies" their father concluded, "that's final" Simon's identical twin brother Jared sulked in anger, why didn't his father believe the truth. "You don't get it, do you Dad?" He cried "If you'd moved into Spiderwick manor with us you'd know** _ **the reason**_ **for all this fairy stuff" "Yeah it's obviously your Great-Aunt Lucinda's crazy ideas" huffed Mr. Grace. It wasn't, although Lucinda Spiderwick had a great deal to do with the real reason the fairy stories had come about. When Jared, Simon, and Mallory had moved into Spiderwick manor with their mother, Helen, mysterious mischief kept happening, Jared was the one who was blamed, things got worse when he found** _ **Arthur Spiderwick's Field guide to the Fantastical world around you,**_ **the evil ogre, Mulgarath and his dreadful goblin minions, led by a goblin called Red Cap, had tried to steal the book and use it to kill the other Fairies, but Jared and his siblings, with the help of a brownie named Thimbletack and a hobgoblin named Hogsqueal had attempted enough to get the book first to their great aunt Lucinda, and then to her father, Arthur Spiderwick the author of the book, Mr. Spiderwick had told them that it not the book, but Mulgarath that was to be destroyed, after the children had gotten Helen to believe, they finally destroyed the ogre and his monsters, all because of tomato sauce and Hogsqueal's desire to eat birds. Now Lucinda was with her father and Jared, Simon and Mallory had been expelled because of the unseen world from another school in Pennsylvania., but Thimbletack's honey cravings were only Jared's cause of expulsion, Mallory had been expelled for stealing and breaking a globe (that was actually broken by Hogsqueal) and Simon had been kicked out because of a missing class pet (a bird), but all the same now they would be going to Kadic (or least they would next year). Jared groaned. "Why doesn't he at least act like it's no big deal?" He whispered to Mallory. "Because he doesn't believe us" Jared groaned, but he knew she was right. He turned to a few rows, only to see a girl he knew very well. Jared knew her, because she was his childhood best friend Will Vanton sitting with four other girls. "Hey Simon, Mal! Look who it is." He whispered. Simon and Mallory turned to the window and Mallory laughed. "So Jar, we're going to prison next year and you already found a girlfriend! Nice work!" She said out of breath. "She's not a** _ **girlfriend**_ **Mallory! She's Will Vanton my** _ **best friend.**_ **" Jared said defensively. It was true he had for Will, what Tony had for Edien, but in this case everyone but Will knew it was true. "After you replaced her with a so-called** _ **imaginary**_ **friend who's a brownie that protects a book it's probably the only way to keep her liking you" whispered Simon. Jared knew his brother was joking, but still was Will going here next year too?** _ **If she is will she be in my class?**_ **He thought** _ **will she be the only friend make like elementary school, again?**_ **Little did he know, she was thinking of him too? Will Vanton had much more to think about than her old friend Jared Grace but he was the only thing on her mind. She had always seen him as just a really good friend, the Jared she knew, that is. He was just the identical twin brother of the class geek and a big geek himself. But the Jared she imagined was different, older, smarter, braver and ready for anything. (The weird part about that was: she was right.) And Will had for this Jared, what he had for her. But there were other things for her to think about. Will was the heiress to world called Meridan, where she and her friends Irma Liar, Taranee Cook, Cornelia Hale, and Hay Lin Yoshiro were the guardians; it was ruled by an evil prince named Phobos with power over a shape shifter named Cedric and the girls' friend Elyon Brown, together with their friend Caleb McCartney a rebel they had dethroned Phobos and made Elyon queen…at least for now. Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by Hay Lin Yoshiro. "Hey Will" she called, "There's a boy in the middle row giving you the Eye" "I'm not interested in some jerk" Will answered feeling stupid. "But he's kind of cute" said Irma Lair who had also noticed, "And he defiantly looks our age group" Defeated Will turned to see the boy, he looked at lot like in fact he was…..Jared! "Why are you still looking" said Cornelia, "You don't think he's one of Phobos' spies do you" "No" said Will excitedly, "I know him" "So is he some old boyfriend" asked Irma. "Just an old friend" said Will, "I went to elementary school with him and his brother and sister" "He's got a brother" asked Taranee Cook who was shy. "Yeah they're identical twins" said Will remembering Jared's Brother Simon, "I can introduce you but his brother's a big geek to be truthful they both are but he's cool and really sweet I can tell them apart" "How well do know this guy" asked Hay Lin. "Best friends since kindergarten" "Then in case he's going here next year too and since he remembers you…"Hay Lin suggested. Will suddenly agreed, she jumped up and signaled to Jared and he signaled back and they both ran behind the stage.** _ **I can't believe it.**_ **Will thought,** _ **My new hometown falls into financial chaos and I meet an old friend here what are the odds.**_ **Nobody notice the strange kids in the third row.**

" **I can't believe we're here on Earth" Albert Harris looked around the Kadic Academy auditorium, "Do we get to go here" "That kind of depends" said Suzy Turquoise Blue checking her watch, "If the teachers like us I guess" "Quiet down you guys" said Leaf Callentyne, "The last thing we want is Dummy and Dumberer to know you guys aren't from earth" Arthur Penhaligon couldn't help but grin it had been only a while since he'd let them out of their home world and they were already messing up in front of Leaf's brother Ed and Arthur's adoptive brother Eric. But then again they didn't know much better. Suzy and Albert had come from a place called the House a big separate world, that was once ruled by the dreaded Morrow Days: Mister Monday, Grim Tuesday, Drowned Wednesday, Sir Thursday, Lady Friday, Superior Saturday and Lord Sunday each of them infected with a deadly sin but the Will had chosen an heir, it was Arthur three years ago Arthur had freed each part of the Will with the help of Leaf, Suzy and Albert and taken control of the House however it was at present unknown whether or not he'd defeated Lord Sunday. "Guys break it up" said Arthur, "This isn't the time or place to in get a fight" "I just don't want to attract attention" said Leaf. "I know" said Arthur, "But he might be watching our every move" "That's crazy" said Albert, "I would of totally felt something if Lord Sunday was up and about" "What are you kids talking about" interrupted Ed Callentyne. Arthur hated hiding the secret from Ed for two reasons Ed may have been dumb enough to repeat a grade once but Arthur liked him. And the other reason was that Arthur had for Leaf what Jared and Will had for each other, if it were to work out one person in both their families had to know the secret. "Shut up Ed!" said Leaf, "We're talking about the girl whose father owns this school" "She's a total brat" said Suzy, "And really mean" "I don't listen to rumors" said Ed. Suddenly the wall caved and a giant monster appeared. This monster was called a Scoucher. "Why here" Arthur gulped feeling like an idiot. "Why now?" cried Leaf. Albert was up first diving beneath chairs and sliding on his stomach, then came Suzy take a left hand turn the crowd, Arthur and Leaf jumped together and grabbed hands rushing for behind the stage, and last came a suspicious Ed following them silently.** _ **I hate Lord Sunday**_ **Arthur thought as he ran. Nobody noticed a group of mysterious people in the ticket line. Six of sat down with Franz Hopper while the other eight squatted in the back row.**

" **For the umpteenth time no" Janey Solo swatted her twin brother Jason across the face, "That's the dumbest idea you've ever had no wait remember time you wanted to steal the Millennium Falcon that was your worst this is a close second." "It's a good idea" retorted Jason. "Will you two knock it off" said Luke Skywalker through clenched teeth, "You heard what my father said we have to do this the Jedi way and that means approaching this task with strong maturity and professional behavior" The twins continued sniping. "They never listen" said Luke to his lifelong friend and fellow Padawan Ahsoka Tano. "Hey they're just like you and Leia at that age" Ahsoka said grinning. Her younger sister Allana known as Allie and Luke's Cousin Ananias "Ani" Amidala couldn't help smirking, they were glad Luke and Ahsoka had been chosen to head this part of the mission. "So what are we gonna say" asked Ani. "Say whatever you want" said Ahsoka, "You just have to be polite" Allie breathed a sigh of relief; she'd been worried there was a specific way to greet a fellow Warrior Council member. Not that she needed to seeing how, Allie couldn't speak. "So I can say 'Hi I'm Ken and I'm a prince of a former empire of space warrior-heroes'" asked Jedi Prince Ken. "And not act like an idiot" said Luke, "Jedi Master Yoda said we had to all be together before we revealed anything. Oh and Waroo try not to say anything at all" "And try to speak in sign language, Allie" Ahsoka added. The young wookie growled. Allie nodded. None of these children were normal or earthlings for that matter, they were all from a Galaxy far, far away except for Waroo who was learning to be a pilot they were all training to be Jedi Knights universal heroes with power of the undeniable Force (aka powers from God) who protected the Galactic Republic which ruled over all ten worlds, all 10000 planets, and both galaxies and everyone in it from the Deadly Sith led by the dangerous Agram, the Jedi had just recently won the Xana War, in which the Sith armies were led by Franz Hopper's dangerous creation Xana but now the war was over, Xana was dead, and the Jedi were reconstructing the Legendary Warrior Council. Ahsoka was currently apprenticed to Anakin Skywalker Luke's father and Luke to his father's former mentor Obi-wan Kenobi this was to supposed be their last mission before they were knighted. Allie was excited for her older sister but also for herself and Ani because if this mission was a success they'd finally be apprenticed themselves. "I don't why we have to 'keep our cover'" Ken protested, "I mean if I'm not mistaken Master Obi-wan 'Stickler for the rules' Kenobi planted a good Jedi Mind trick on the stupid Gym teacher thirty seconds ago" "It's called a last resort Brainless" said Ani, "If he hadn't of done it would he have let us in" Allie grinned, this was why she had for Ani what for Arthur had for Leaf he was smart and attentive as his prodigy cousin and his Jedi Legend uncle. "Nice observation Kiddo" said Luke, "Somebody was paying attention when the Jedi were telling you guys all the boring stuff" "I don't think he was the only one" said Ahsoka winking at her sister. Allie almost blushed; her older sister whom she loved and admired understood her passion for the Order. "Yeah listen to that crud" said Jason, "I have a million better ideas" "No you have a million even dumber ideas" laughed Janey. Luke and Ahsoka each took a look all around them; they were really checking the Force for danger. Serena took her own look around, she was devastatingly afraid of the Sith and wanted to make sure there were none here. "Alright its clear" said Luke, "We can go" "Last one in is a rotten mooka egg" said Ken breaking into a run. The room was clean but Serena still knew the Jedi had enemies around here, the Bloors, their spies, the Yewbeam sisters and worst of all a Morrow Day might have set a monster loose here.** _ **I have a bad feeling about this**_ **She thought. She could also feel the great Force of the Warrior Council coming together inside her.**

 **Backstage Aelita gazed down at the diamond watch her father had given her for her graduation; it was ten minutes until the graduates were sent.** _ **One, two,**_ **she counted quietly…..on the way backstage Allie was watching Ani's Republic Rolex wrist watch while running as fast as she could.** _ **Three, four,**_ **she counted quietly….nearby William Dunbar was crossing the way too he checked the big clock across the hall.** _ **Five, six,**_ **he murmured….in the audience Anakin Skywalker sat with his first Padawan Franz Hopper, his daughter Leia, her boyfriend Han Solo (who was cousins with Jason and Janey), Han's sidekick Chewbacca (who was Waroo's brother), his former mentor Obi-wan Kenobi and the famous Jedi Master Yoda. Anakin faced the clock above the stage.** _ **Seven, eight,**_ **he thought quietly….nearby Jeremy's cousin Patrick squatted with his nine-year-old brother Tommy and his best friend Bobby Morris. Patrick studied Bobby's pocket watch.** _ **Nine….perfect!**_ **He thought deviously. A strange alarm came up in Aelita's watch causing her to jump back. "What was that" asked Jeremy who heard it too. "My watch I think" said Aelita. "It must be an alien life form or something" said Odd. "Don't bet on it it's just an old piece of jewelry of my mother's that my father found when he was cleaning out the garage" said Aelita promptly. "Did leave stuff for the factory in your old garage" asked Odd. "No!" Aelita retorted, "We're having company it's supposed to be some old friends of my father's and some new Lyoko Warriors" "Have you ever met these people before?" asked Jeremy. Aelita had been wondering who these people were herself but she hadn't admitted the truth yet. "No" she said, "Well yes but I was a baby and I can't remember" "Maybe they're your aunts and uncles" said a voice. All three kids turned to see William Dunbar strutting through the curtains. "Hey guys" he said, "Wanted to wish you good luck" "Thanks" said Aelita, "And that's highly inaccurate my father was an orphan and an only child and as for my mother….."She winced; Antea Hopper was always a painful subject. "Daddy says her family doesn't even know I exist" "Hey just trying to help" said William. "It would help if you talked to Yumi" said Jeremy. "What's the need" said Odd, "If these new Lyoko Warriors like us there's no point" Just then Toph, Aang Katara, Sokka, Zuko and Suki walked up behind the stage. "Hey guys!" Toph called, "How's it cracking? Kick any good any butts well I was gone" "TOPH!" Aelita gave her a quick hug, Jeremy shook her hand, William slapped her five, and Odd spat on his hand and smacked it on her forehead (this was their "secret handshake"). None of them could help it, they hadn't seen Toph in a while and even though she drove most of them crazy, Lyoko was very quiet without her. "So you guys sent me a letter saying Xana's gone for good and I missed it" said Toph throwing down her bag on the floor, "Is it true? Is Lita's daddy back? You guys better not have turned off that supercomputer…" "Calm down Toph" said Jeremy, "Yes we did defeat Xana without you, don't tell Ulrich and Yumi this, but yes the supercomputer is on." "And it's never going off" Aelita said feeling happy for the first time that day, "Thanks to my father!" "Glad you got your old man back 'Lita" Toph said grinning, "Now we should have introductions" "I'll start" said Sokka, "The name's Sokka my dad's a famous general" "Hey" said William content on picking it up with Sokka, "The name's William. My dad's a buissness man. Pretty normal guy, I'm so jealous. People must fall all over you all the time" "Yeah pretty much" said Sokka. "It's an honor to meet you all" Zuko bowed then shook the guys' hands and kissed Aelita's, "My name is Zuko, I'm crowned prince of the Fire Nation and heir to the throne of Fire Lord Ozai or I was. It feels like a dream to be in the presence of such noble warriors" "I said keep it subtle" shouted Toph, "I didn't tell you to suck up!" "Excuse me for being polite!" "My name's Aang" said Aang, "I'm the Avatar, but it's no big deal" "Jeremy Belquois" said Jeremy, "It's great to finally meet you guys in person" "Toph's told us all about you guys" said Katara, "I'm Katara by the way" Aelita beamed, she wondered if these people were among the mystery company that night. "My name is Aelita" she said, "Aelita Hopper. I like you necklace"** **"Thanks" Katara said smiling at the thought of someone liking her gift from her late mother. "I'm Odd" said Odd cutting up his pant leg, "How's it going" "Not bad" answered Suki, "I'm Suki Heron. I'm from Kyoshi Island" "You're kinda cute" said Odd. "Back off you clown" said Sokka defensively. "She's my girl" "I'm just playin' Cracker boy" said Odd, "I have a girlfriend" "Who doesn't exist" William covered these words up with a cough. Just then dressed in their hats and gowns Charlie, Olivia, Emma, Fidelio and Gabriel walked to the other side of the stage. "Excuse me" said Charlie, "My name's Charlie Bone. We're from Bloor's Academy we're kind of meeting the kids at your school and we heard you guys introduce yourselves" "It's cool" said Jeremy, "We can all be friends" "Great" said Olivia, "I'm Olivia Vertigo. We were kind of scared you guys would be scared of us" "It's good to meet you" said Emma, "I'm Emma Tolly what Liv said is true" "Why?" asked Aelita wondering what secrets these kids had to hide. "Because weird things happen at our school" said Fidelio, "I am Fidelio Gunn. Everyone in my family is a musician." "Cool" said Odd, "And who's your home boy" "My name is Gabriel Silk" said Gabriel, "This is my first time in a uniformless school please forgive my nerve" "Yeah he has allot of problems" said a voice. Everyone turned. In walked Charlie's friends Tancred Torrson, Lysander Sage and Benjamin Brown with Tony, Edien, Stragg, and Inora hot on their heels. "We heard you guys introducing yourselves" said Tancred, "On our way in to surprise you and we ran into these hooligans as well. My name is Tancred Torrson and this is my friend Lysander Sage" "Hi" said Lysander grinning broadly. "My name is Benjamin Brown" said Benjamin, "I don't go to Bloor's but my parents are detectives. They think I should go here next year so I can be in class with Charlie" "Excuse me" said Tony, "I don't think you had our names yet we're exchange students taking a survey on the school. The name's Tony Jones." "It's great to meet you all" said Edien quietly, "My name is Edien. Edien Kellerman" "Are you guys all from the same place?" said Odd, "Allot of newbies who show up in groups are" "No" said Stragg, "Well Inora and I are from the same place but we met Tony and Edien because we were in the same foreign exchange group. I'm Martin Stagg" Stragg grimaced at the nickname. "Hi Martin" said William. "I prefer just Stagg" said Stragg. "Stagg and me have friends since we were little kids" said Inora, "I'm Inora Sparks by the way" It was then Jared and Will found their way towards the group followed by Simon, Mallory, Irma, Cornelia, Hay Lin, and Taranee. "Sorry" said Jared, "We kind of overheard you guys while we were coming back here to talk me and my friend here and my siblings and her new friends kinda followed us. I'm Jared Grace" "It's okay" said Jeremy, "maybe we can all be friends" "Great" said Will, "I'm Will Vanton, well technically my name's Wilma but my friends call me Will" "She and our brother here" said Mallory coming up and putting her arms around Jared, "Have hit it off since they were five. I'm Mallory and that's Simon" She gestured her head to her other brother. "Jared and I are identical twins" said Simon, "But our mom cuts our hair different so she can tell us apart" "Good thing she did too" said Mallory, "I may only be a year older than them but I know for a fact Mom got them mixed up once when they were babies" "Okay, well I don't believe those three or any of you have our names yet" said Irma, "I'm Irma Lair" "It's a huge pleasure" said Taranee shyly, "I'm Taranee Cook" "Thanks" said Odd, "And cut the shy act guys don't like that" "It's not an act bozo" said Cornelia, "It's the way she is. I'm Cornelia Hale" "Oooh! My turn" said Hay Lin, "I'm Hay Lin Yoshiro" It was then there was a loud crash and Arthur, Leaf, Suzy, and Albert ran out from a behind the curtains followed by a swearing, running Ed. "Look bro" said Leaf, "I know you think we were banishing a monster but there's perfectly logical explanation for this" Leaf didn't notice them, until Arthur did. "Huh sorry" he said, "We're going to Kadic next year and the four of us got lost on the way to the bathroom and Ed followed and on the way in we heard you guys. I'm Arthur Penhaligon" "It's okay" said Jeremy. "Yeah it's okay for you" said Leaf, "I'll bet your brothers don't follow you around. I'm Leaf Callentyne and the dork's my brother Ed" "Her older brother" said Ed, "And anyone with a brain could see…." "We're telling the truth" Albert cut him off, "I'm Albert Harris" "Are you and her brother and sister to" asked Odd pointing to Suzy, "Because she kind of looks like you" "No" said Suzy, "We come just come from the same town. I'm Suzy Turquoise Blue" Suddenly Allie, Ahsoka, Ani, Luke, Ken, Janey, Jason, and Waroo emerged from behind the curtain. "I told you it was safe" said Ahsoka to Luke and then turned on the group, "Sorry you guys should really introduce yourselves more quietly we heard you too Luke and I are going to be teaching assistants at this school next year and these kids are going here. I'm" She stopped for minute read the alias on her hand. "Andrea Tanner" "And I'm Luke like she said" said Luke, "Luke Skylar we'll just leave kids alone we're taking a survey like them." Luke and Ahsoka ran off. "Okay" said Odd, "That was weird" "They're always weird" said Ani, "Man do I have some stories. Luke's my cousin you see. My name is Ananias Aimsworth people call me Ani and she's Allie, Andrea's sister" Allie waved. "Does she talk?" asked Aelita. "She can't" said Ani, "She has a medical condition." "I'm sorry" Aelita said to Allie who she was immediately taking to, "I think we should all be friends" Serena smilllled. "Alright enough mute girl talk" said Ken, "The name's Ken Richardson. I was a big football star at my last school" "He's lying" said Janey, "I'm Janey Sulu and the creep's my brother Jason" "I'm not a creep" said Jason, "And we're twins but I'm older than her by five minutes and twenty seconds and that's Warren McPherson" He pointed to the Wookie, "He doesn't talk either" "It's great to meet you all" said Aelita some strange Force inside said that father's mystery guests were among these kids.**

 **Behind them Patrick stood with Tommy, and Bobby. "What are we doing" asked Tommy pushing his strawberry blonde hair out of his eyes. "Tell him Bobby" said Patrick, "He's got the right to know" "We're sneaking up on Jeremy and his pals and pranking them" said Bobby trying to redo his belt over his big belly. "How?" said Tommy. "Well…." Patrick began. "Yeah how?" said a voice. All three boys turned to Luke and Ahsoka towering over them. "Um hi" said Patrick surprised to see two college-age kids backstage a middle school graduation, "Were you guys held back" "Off the stage" said Luke. "Bye" said Tommy. "Wait" said Patrick, "You don't know my cousin he's a big geek" "You know geeks are the ones who make it in life" said Ahsoka, "And guys like you go to jail" "Are you gonna send us to Juvie" said Bobby, "Or give us detention" "While we are applying as teaching assistants to this school" said Ahsoka, "But seeing it's almost summer vacation the detention thing is a no" "What about Juvie" asked Bobby. "Well" said Luke, "My father is a cop sort of but I won't talk to him you're free to go" Patrick walked out with Tommy and Bobby. "Man was that close?" said Tommy as they were leaving, "Daddy would kill us if we got sent to Juvie" Patrick had tried coming to Kadic this year but, his parents wanted at a closer school to his home, but since his father (a kleptomaniac and a heavy drinker) had been arrested for the second time and set up under house arrest at his uncle's house, next year Patrick and Tommy would be going to Kadic. It was important they were sent to the right school seeing they both were troublemakers and got expelled from just about every school they'd ever been to. As for Bobby he was also from a troubled background seeing how his father had left and was now on Death Row. "Forget the old man and shut up Tommy" said Patrick, "We just nailed the biggest dork wad mistake a guy can make" "Tommy's right Patrick" said Bobby, "Mother would die if I wound up on Death Row with Dad" "For the millionth time, Bob" said Patrick, "Death Row is just made up your dad's probably rockin' the Casinos in Las Vegas" "Yeah or maybe he's like your dad who can't go within a mile of this hick town" "That's different" said Patrick.**

 **There were about 45 kids in the Kadic Academy graduating class, Aelita's fake last name was Stones which made her no. 35. She had a long time to wait before it was her turn. Aelita could hear, the last lines of Ulrich's speech, already. It was almost time. "Oh, gee, gosh!" his voice echoed through the auditorium, "What is the point of this thing! We're not even leaving next year" Aelita sighed; she knew Ulrich and Yumi should've listened to her father. If they had, Ulrich wouldn't be in a bad mood, now. "Thank you Mr. Stern" came the voice of Sissi's father Mr. Delmas, "Now for once let's hear from a student who** _ **actually**_ **went the extra mile without complaining, a girl who has never once given up, Aelita Stones." Aelita held her breath. She hadn't prepared a written speech but she still knew what she was going to say. She walked out to the podium with her head held high and turned to the audience. "For a Junior High student" she began, "Kadic Academy is a just another boarding school. But for someone whose life is taking a turn from an adventure they thought was over but was really only beginning it's a place where find unexpected treasure and receive unexpected gifts. And learn unexpected things about yourself" Down in the audience her father held his breath. "She sounds like her mother" he whispered to Anakin. "I noticed" Anakin whispered back, "She looks like her too." "Sometimes" Aelita continued, "You want to give having adventures and being who you've become here and return to a normal life there's no such thing as returning to a normal life you have it once in your life and once it's over it's over some people don't have a normal life at all" She wasn't referring to this, but to their defeat of Xana, and the vow she made with Jeremy, Odd, and William. As well as the mysterious new friends she'd made today and whatever her future held.**


	4. Night of Secrets

**Chapter 2: Night of secrets.**

The Hermitage in Glen Oak Pennsylvania May 21 1800 hours

 **That night Aelita finally met her father's mystery guests, they were in fact people she'd never met before. The only different thing from what she expected was six of her new friends from the graduation were among them. Aelita should have known they'd be coming to her house tonight she liked them especially the ones she'd already met but she couldn't help thinking they were a little odd-looking. Ahsoka (who until a point in this story Aelita will know as Andrea) was a pretty African-Caucasian girl with long black hair and blue-grey eyes (it a was a human disguise in reality Ahsoka and Allie were Togruta which have reddish brown skin and blue and white head tails). Allie looked at lot like expect her hair was longer, her eyes were purple, and she smiled more than her serious acting sister. Luke was a handsome young man with slightly long sandy-blonde hair and blue eyes that sparkled. Ani was a cute-looking teenage boy with dark brown neat hair and pale blue eyes. Janey had budding breasts, long curly brown hair and brown eyes that had made it look like she was up to something. Jason was chubby and had the same hair only it was flat not curly and the same eyes only their dark with worry instead bright with mischief. Luke's father Andrew (who was of course really Anakin Skywalker) seemed to be an old friend of her father's, he looked like his son only his hair was graying and his face was covered in scars. Luke's sister Leia was tall, thin, pale and kind of pretty, her hair dark brown and curly and her eyes were the same impudent color. Her boyfriend Hank (who was really Han Solo) was a cousin of Jason and Janey's; he had the same brown hair and eyes and had strong muscles. Ben Kenton (who was really Obi-wan Kenobi) seemed to also be an old friend of her father's, he was strong elderly man with gray-streaked-brown hair and light blue eyes. Then there was Yoda, he too was a friend of her father's and didn't seem to be less then 930 years old with ferrety little form of a pale, bald, elderly man with tufts of gray hair around his head (it was a human disguise no one was sure what species Yoda was only that it had green skin and big ears). Aelita couldn't quite figure them out, she liked them but being a shy girl stopped her from interacting them….until dinner. "Okay so he walks into the store and says 'Stand down this is a hold-up" Anakin was not telling a story from Jedi adventures but from his childhood on Tatooine, "And Watto says 'If you want the dry cleaners it's on the next block over we're closed'" Everyone expect Aelita (because didn't get it), Allie (because of course she couldn't laugh) and Leia (for reasons you can probably understand) snorted in their spaghetti sauce. "He didn't call the police" Aelita interrupted, "Did he even recognize the danger" "Of course not where I grew up that kind of thing happened everyday" said Anakin stabbing a meatball in half, "So anyway the guy just left and Watto really did close the store for a week I might add" "Why do people call him Watto?" "It's a long story" said Anakin.** _ **Smart kid**_ **he thought,** _ **how long does Franz expect me to pull this "normal cop" thing off? She's already getting suspicious!**_ **"So Aelita" said Franz quickly changing the subject, "Maybe you should tell everyone some stories you have about your friends" "Well I don't know" said Aelita. "Come on please" said Leia, "If I hear one more of Dad's Lame-o would-be-robbery stories I'm gonna crack" Aelita knew wanted to add Allie, Ani and the Twins to the group, plus she felt a strange connection to all of them. She quickly thought up the best thing ever to happen that would blow no cover. "Okay" she said, "so we're all in gym class….." Aelita recounted the entire event of Dodge ball day in the school gymnasium. "And then the paramedic asks Jim 'You worked with Dodge ball injuries?' and Jim says 'I'd rather not talk about'" Aelita said five minutes later there were a few snorts and Jason almost choked on his parsley, "Well anyway after Herb got his body cast removed they had Dodge ball banned and seven different people got sued" "That school gym needs better security" said Ahsoka through a mouthful of meatball and then she swallowed, "And a more competent gym teacher" "That's what all fifteen of the complaining told Mr. Delmas" Aelita laughed, "The gym teacher thing not the security thing" "Who hired that man anyway" ask Obi-wan Kenobi who was quick to get over a funny joke, "He doesn't sound like a very good influence or safety regulation" "No one knows" said Aelita. "Speaking off that gym teacher was he really a war pilot" asked Han Solo biting into a slice of garlic bread. "I think so" said Aelita. "In what war?" asked Ani and Luke at the same time. "Probably Vietnam" answered Aelita, "But I wouldn't know seeing how he'd 'rather not talk about it'" "Be facts his stories may not" said Yoda, "Clumsy and arrogant he is. Hiding a bitter truth he maybe" "What a dork" said Leia, "I can't wait to meet him" "I can't wait to prank him" said Janey. Allie smiled. Aelita smiled back "So" she said not feeling so uncomfortable around this people anymore, "How come you've never visited before" "We're extremely busy" said Anakin shooting Franz a look that said "the things I do for you". "Oh" said Aelita. The silence remerged.**

 **Downtown at the Glen Oak apartment building center, Jeremy was having dinner with his father, uncle and cousins. "So I walk right into that convenience store and I tell the guy 'stand down this a holdup'" Patrick was describing his latest expulsion from the last public school in Camden South Carolina which had been the last city in South Carolina which had him going to school in Pennsylvania, "And he just looks at me and he says 'get outta here kid we're closed' and then he calls the cops and I get arrested" "I was his lookout" said Tommy. "You guys do know you could have gotten a criminal record" said Jeremy who was already in a bad mood because his alcoholic uncle had ordered chili fries and made Sloppy Joes when he'd asked for lobster and popcorn shrimp. "Nah two good conditions got us off" said Patrick, "One Bobby's mom bailed us out and two they were aware it was a prank" "How did that get you expelled" asked Jeremy finishing a bite of beefy carcass. "We skipped class" said Patrick. "Bobby got kicked out that same day because he couldn't bring up his academic probation" said Tommy. "You're acting like this some sort of victory" said Jeremy, "If you keep this up you'll be going to Juvenile Hall" "Ah quit you're yapping the Big House ain't that bad" said Horace Belquois. "Jeremy, do what he says" said Jeremy's father Michael. Jeremy groaned. Uncle Horace was only older than his father by a year, yet he had more status in the family because he was abusive and an alcoholic. Since Jeremy could remember his uncle had pushed his father around, he'd even forced his father into divorcing his mother when he divorced his wife Meredith. And now Jeremy would be stuck with for the next 52 months. "So Jerry" There was another reason for Jeremy to hate his uncle the stupid nickname, "How's your life goin'" "It's going" said Jeremy through a mouthful of chili fries. "Nothin' to tell about school grades" asked Uncle Horace through his third helping of Sloppy Joes, "What about class projects or a…girl." "Huh?" "The boys said you had girlfriend what's her name huh….Alicia" "It's Aelita" said Jeremy, "And we're just friends" "You don't act like" said Tommy preparing a chili fry tower. "Dad may I be excused" said Jeremy who was already half way to the door. "Go on son" said Michael, "I'll see you tomorrow" Jeremy groaned again, his family stank.  
Near Kadic Academy there was a neighborhood in Glen Oak, in this neighborhood lived the Ishyama family and there was where Aang would be staying the night and was now having dinner. "Doesn't Toph have any normal friends" asked Hiroki Ishyama Yumi's 11-year-old younger brother catapulting a ball of mustard into Sokka's dipping sauce. "Hey" said Toph and Sokka at the same time. "There is nothing wrong with my friends" said Toph. "I hate wasabi" said Sokka. "Excuse me Mam" asked Zuko, "May I be excused I have work to do" "What kind of work?" Mrs. Kimiko Ishyama looked up from her sushi rolls. "Don't listen to him Mom he's lying" said Yumi Ishyama, "Trying to get out of eating our dessert" "Is it my fault you guys chose to order Chinese take-out when I told my friends we were having a home-cooked meal" said Toph. "Just let me go and argue later" said Zuko picking up his backpack and leaving. "But Sparky…" Toph began. "I'm used to family squabbles at Dinner" Zuko called back. "He can be grouchy" said Katara quickly. "He can be?" asked Mr. Takeo Ishyama, "He's been grouchy since you got here" "Well he's like that" said Suki. "Yeah" said Sokka, "Hey Toph's aunt could you pass the hot sauce" Aang missed allot of the conversation because he was looking at the television. On the screen a man was chopping up a crab. "Why'd they kill him?" Aang asked angrily forgetting where he was. "Aang are you alright?"asked Katara. "He didn't do anything to anybody?" Aang seethed, "Why'd they kill him" "Oh yeah" said Hiroki, "What about that chopped up chicken you're eating" "Chopped-up chicken?" Aang was suddenly brought back down to earth, "What chopped up chicken?" "Look at what you're eating" said Yumi. Aang looked and realized they were right. "Can I go?" he said, "I'm a vegetarian" "You can go" said Mr. Ishyama. Aang got up and left. "Aang wait" Katara chased him. "Aunt Kim" Toph asked Mrs. Ishyama, "Can I see you in the hallway right now" Before Mrs. Ishyama could answer they were already in the hallway. "What is it Toph?" her aunt asked her. "It's not working out" said Toph, "Everyone's fighting and Aang, Katara, and Zuko walked out on Dinner. Your kids are getting bratty" "It's just Hiroki" said Mrs. Ishyama, "Yumi's going through her early mid-life crisis" "People get grouchy and selfish and only hang out with one of their friends in their mid-life crisis?" "No but what she's going through is very similar to what your uncle's been going through at work" "If Uncle T starts acting like…..that" said Toph, "I'll scream" "Well thankfully it's just with work" said Mrs. Ishyama, "So ready for dessert" "No wasabi, or raw fish or fortune cookies" said Toph. "No promises" said her aunt.**

 **Back at the Hermitage dinner was over and Aelita, Ahsoka and Allie were getting ready for bed in Aelita's bedroom. Aelita gratefully accepted them into her room; it was an easy decision for an only child who had never shared a bedroom. However they hadn't spoken since dinner. "Excuse" Aelita said breaking the silence, "How long do you think you'll be here" "Why" Ahsoka looked up from pulling a fresh blanket over her cot, "already want us gone" "No" Aelita said trying not to be rude, "I was just curious" "Well we aren't sure" said Ahsoka, "we might be moving in" "Here in this house" asked Aelita. "I don't know" Ahsoka answered, "Probably just to Glen Oak. Allie and Ani are going to school at Kadic. Everyone thinks Hank and Leia want to get married and move in together. And Andrew's wife still isn't back from her buissness trip" "What's her career" "She's a Politian" Allie who was sitting on her bed made a signal with her hand. "What does that mean?" Aelita was confused. "It means she wishes we could tell you everything now" said Ahsoka sitting down beside her sister. "About what?" Aelita asked. "I can't tell you that" Ahsoka said flatly.** _ **No matter does much I want to**_ **she thought,** _ **her dad's an idiot I can't pull this charade for this much longer**_ **. "Not yet" she added pulling Allie close. "Where are your parents?" Aelita said sitting down on her own bed. Suddenly both sisters were silent. "Sorry" said Aelita. "It's okay" Ahsoka answered, "I was only five and Allie was just a baby when they died" Aelita couldn't believe it, they were orphans. All alone in the world, just the two of them and one of them couldn't even talk. It made her think of her mother. "You know we aren't alone" said Ahsoka, "We have people and your dad's one of them" "He is" Aelita wondered. "Yeah" Ahsoka said softly. "Do you know my mother to" Aelita couldn't help it. "No one knows where she is" Ahsoka said quickly, "Everyone thinks she's dead" "Oh" Aelita tried not to cry.** _ **But she isn't dead**_ **she urged herself** _ **she's alive and well I can feel it.**_ _ **Me and my big mouth**_ **Ahsoka thought,** _ **I want her to be my friend not to hate me. I am such a Bubblehead. And to make that worse everyone thinks she'll wind up my Padawan. Why'd I say that?**_ **Allie quickly made another hand symbol. "What's she saying now?" asked Aelita. "She's saying we need to stop talking about our families" said Ahsoka turning to her sister, "Okay Baby we'll stop" Allie made another hand signal. "Is she thanking you?" asked Aelita. "No" said Ahsoka with a laugh, "She's telling me not to call her 'Baby'"** _ **Yeah definitely sisters**_ **Aelita thought. "So why can't you tell me…." She asked. "You need time" said Ahsoka, "Time to learn and discover. Time to understand" Aelita knew they were hiding something, she just didn't know what. "Why does talk with her hands" Aelita asked quickly changing the subject, "Why doesn't she just write what she wants to say down" "She doesn't like to use up paper" said Ahsoka, "She's an artist" "Really" said Aelita. All three girls were already in their pajamas. Allie made a third hand signal. "What…." "It means 'Goodnight'" "Well goodnight" Aelita said climbing under the blankets. "Goodnight" said Ahsoka giving Allie a quick kiss and going back to her own bed. Allie turned off the lights and climbed back into bed. Aelita lay awake thinking about her mother and about her future. She tried not a have one of her nightmares but all she could think about was that tomorrow she didn't know how knew, but tomorrow everything would change.** _ **Goodnight Mum**_ **she thought,** _ **wherever you are.**_ **And Aelita fell asleep into troubled dreams of her mother and of her life.**

 _ **It hadn't always been this way. Antea Hopper remembered brighter days; the days spent playing in the snow with Aelita, the days with Franz reading by the fire place, even the days cleaning for her sister, Ursa (who was Zuko and Azula's mother) seemed beautiful in the midst of these terrible days, spent cooking and cleaning for Agram, the Bloors, Admiral Zhao, and all the other Separatist. But where could Antea go? She was trapped in a dank place called "the Void", which was an evil hollow where the bad guys ruled the world, and people went if they were not quite dead and not quite alive, not even Hades lord of the Dead knew they were there. "Get back to work, servant" Asajj Ventress a dangerous assassin knocked Antea over, "You can't just stand around" "Alright, alright. Yeesh!" said the sad woman picking herself off the floor, "Do I look like a soccer ball to you" Antea's only way of ignoring the emptiness and sorrow of missing her Franzie and Baby was acting rebellious to her captors, her older sister Ursa on the other hand never once had a rebellious heart as a child, and preferred to attend to her work. "Don't get in his way" Ursa urged Antea, "And she'll stop being in yours all the time" "You've got no guts" Antea told her sister, "Why do you let them push you around?" "They're monsters" said Ursa. Antea made a face, of course Ursa had "a good reason", ever since they were children it seemed Ursa always had "a good reason", Antea was a born Saudi Arabian tradition rebel, Ursa followed the rules because "Mama said so", Antea tried to be smart and help animals, Ursa was purposely stupid and avoided animals because "Brainy women don't get men and neither do girls who make friends with crap", Antea followed her heart, Ursa went along with marrying Ozai because "he had plenty of money and was handsome". "You know we can beat them" said her sister, "And even if I'm wrong my husband and daughter will come and save us, with their wonderful friends" "Don't make me laugh" said a voice behind her back, Antea spun around to see Yorath Yewbeam, "Your husband is a weak man, and your daughter won't make it here without her powers" Antea gulped in worry, Franz might not be as weak as he was as a boy or when Xana had kidnapped him, but he still was sickly, and what on earth did Yorath mean by Aelita wouldn't make it here "without her powers"? "You don't scare me, shape-shifter!" she shouted, hiding her fear, "My daughter has her powers and used them to save my husband's life." "Don't get too rebellious" said Ursa. Her words came too late; Antea had just jumped on the scarred, shape-shifter's stomach and was clawing at him like a cat to a ball of yarn. Yorath pushed her off. "There are times ingrate!" he said, "that I wish you and your sister stopped acting so childish" "Nice work" Ursa said, "Now they're mad at BOTH of us" Antea glared at her sister, there were times…Suddenly all she see could was terrible problems her husband and child got into, she fell to the ground only to face Agram. "I'm sure Franz and Aelita are fine" said the wicked man. "Who told you their names" "You did when you first got here" Antea smelled a rat; the villains were up to something.**_

 **It was about midnight when Aelita woke up from her strange dream which she barely remembered, she looked around to see on one side of her Ahsoka was sleeping peacefully and on the other Allie was sitting up in bed with pencil and paper. Aelita watched as her new friend began draw a picture of the full moon outside. It was so vivid, silvery with a tender gray lining and stars all around. "You really are an Artist aren't" said Aelita. Allie nodded. "You should enter a contest" Aelita whispered, "You're way better than Odd" Technically Odd wasn't a real artist, he drew comic strips. Allie shook her head as if to say: "I draw for fun not for competition" "Sorry" Aelita said, "But one day you'll be famous" Allie smiled and made a symbol saying "thank you". Aelita was sure of it. Suddenly the big clock in the hall chimed midnight and Aelita jumped. When the big clock in the hall of the Hermitage struck twelve, it reminded Aelita three peculiar things: 1. it was the one household appliance her father owned that still worked (minus the supercomputer) 2. She'd almost lost him on midnight of the day they defeated Xana and 3. She had fainted the day her mother disappeared and woken up on midnight. "Sorry" she said, "I just don't like that clock" Allie looked perplexed and then handed Aelita the picture of the Moon. "Don't you want it" asked Aelita. Allie shook her head. "Thanks" said Aelita, "You know Van Gogh only had one ear and he was a great artist" Allie grinned. "I can see we're going to be good friends" said Aelita, "You know there's this other secret my friends and I have I don't know if you know. I'll tell you later."** _ **Oh I know.**_ **Allie thought. It was then Aelita's thoughts turned to the strange children Ulrich and Yumi had eaten with at the after party: the mean-looking girl with her messed-up blonde hair and bossy voice, the queerly terrifying boy with his weather-beaten hair and iceberg eyes, the untidy younger boy with his over-sized ears and all the things stuck to him, the younger expressionless girls, who barely talked or moved and when they did it didn't sound or look very nice. Aelita didn't like any of them, and could understand that Sissi wanted to sit with them, but Ulrich and Yumi? Allie couldn't understand it either; she'd thought Ulrich Stern and Yumi Ishyama were good people. It was then the crash came, it was a loud and violent crash that echoed up to her bedroom. Aelita jumped. Someone had broken in** **.** **The crash hadn't been more than a cookie jar on the kitchen floor. It had been caused by two 15-year-old Artificial Intelligences Tituba Ravenwood and Brainiac Z. They were stealing food again neither of them could cook. Tituba was a farm girl from the Replica of the planet Alderaan, her parents had died when she was four forcing her to live with Stewart and Bernadette her abusive aunt and uncle. Tituba had spent the longest eight years of her life herding cattle and making dinner for Stewart and Bernadette, she'd been their servant girl while their son Jemmy had been as spoiled as a farm boy could be. When she was twelve Tituba had been threatened by Bernadette to clean Jemmy's room for or be beaten raw which had led to her meeting Brainiac. Brainiac's story was different he'd been the only child of wealthy benefactors in the online Futurist Game, brought up to be a Buissness man like his father. Even though all of Brainiac's life was goofing off, rap music, video games, television sports and watching scary movies, his parents had tried to prohibit such things but Brainiac wouldn't give them up. He skipped school one day when he was twelve to go to a movie he'd been dying to see with his friend Borg and his dog Rick, Brainiac had been caught and was sent to banishment camp. He failed and now he and Tituba were stealing food on earth. "I can't believe you wanted to steal from this house" said Tituba, "It stinks in here" "It's allot better than everywhere you've volunteered" said Brainiac grabbing uncooked box of pasta. Tituba groaned; she could've ditched him anytime she wanted if he wasn't the only friend she had in the world. "Well I still don't like it" she said spearing a pear with her knife and licking it. The Juice was sweet, and sour all at once. "And you were saying" said Brainiac noticing the satisfied look on her face. "It's just a pear" said Tituba. "Well it's still your dinner" said Brainiac taking a cookie jar down from the top shelf and taking a cookie out, "Make it last" Brainiac bit into the cookie chewed it, swallowed it and grabbed another. "Yum" he said between mouthfuls, "These cookies are the best I've ever had" "If you want to eat that garbage" said Tituba gathering some fruit into a bag, "Just go ahead I'll have dinner in the boat" "No wait Titty Tat" said Brainiac, "You have to eat some of these their delicious" "Now I know why they call you Brainiac Z, Brainy" said Tituba, "You aren't smart and your brain is a zero" But she went over to see anyway and took a cookie from the jar and took a bite, it tasted it good. "So do you want another?" asked Brainiac. Tituba reached for the jar without answering, she accidently knocked from his hand causing a loud crash. And the two kids left as quickly as they could. Three hours late there was a knock at the door and a woman with long gray hair entered and turned on the light in the living room.**

 **Aelita had just fallen back to sleep when a feeling on her back jolted her awake. She didn't open her eyes. "Get up! Now!" said a voice. Aelita opened her emerald eyes to see the Bloor's Academy school Matron (who Charlie's great aunt Lucretia). "Smarten yourself up girl!" The wicked women hollered, "What do you think you look like?!" Aelita realized her short pink hair was as usual unruly. Matron walked over to Ahsoka's cot and jabbed hard in the head. "Hey what's the big idea?" said Ahsoka sitting up and rubbing the spot where Matron had jabbed her. "We'll be late with that attitude" said Matron tugging at Allie's hair. "Late for what" asked Aelita. "You Ignoramus" said Matron, "Mr. Ezekiel is taking us to Honduras" "It's three o'clock in the morning" said Ahsoka. "Just get up and get dressed" said Matron, "It was Mr. Delmas's idea. He thinks it will 'bring the students closer together'. A stupid idea in my opinion" "Yeah pretty stupid" said Ahsoka pulling on a pair of jeans. "DAD!" Aelita called, "Did you know about this?" Franz Hopper's head appeared around the doorway. "About what Sweetheart?" he asked nervously. "That we were going to Honduras" his daughter asked. "Trust me" Franz said, "I had no idea" "Well the plane leaves in a half an hour. So get ready and get your obnoxious house guest going or we're leaving without you" Hastily Aelita put on a pink flannel shirt, her own pair of khaki jeans, a sun visor and a pair of sandals, as well as packing her backpack and suitcase with everything needed for a trip to Honduras She then helped Allie pack. And the two girls walked out together with Ahsoka following. The three met the others halfway and separated. Ahsoka and Luke took Luke's blue Mercury Sable. Obi-wan, Anakin and Yoda took Anakin's red-and-black van. Han, Leia, and the Twins took Han's black cutlass. So Aelita, Allie, Ani and Franz went in Franz's brown jeep. The jeep was almost as old as Aelita herself and broken down from its years on the road. "It could be worse" said Ani, "This thing could be killing the environment." "Yeah I guess" Aelita sighed. Ani didn't seem to be very serious. She had a feeling that he might be a natural optimist. She took a look over at Allie who was silent as ever working out what appeared to be a drawing of a ship with white sails and a tall flume.**


	5. Arrival

**Chapter 3: Arrival**

 **Odd threw** _ **another**_ **pack of peanuts at Joshua Tilpin the little magnet boy's head, it burst opened and scattered all over the plane. "Rats" he said, "this was my only means of entertainment and that was my last bag" Toph was enjoying this, normally she'd feel sorry about Odd's mistakes because he** _ **was**_ **her best friend, but she** _ **really**_ **had a desire to see him miss in front of Sam Knight, because** _ **she**_ **like-liked Odd. "That was a stupid game anyhow" said Zoku, "I've seen** _ **monkeys**_ **with better arms than Odd" "Shut up, Cody" Odd said, "** _ **Sam**_ **was having fun, weren't you, Sam" "Well it was a good laugh" Sam admitted softly. "She hated it" Toph hollered trying to keep Odd from thinking Sam was good for him, "I'll bet she hates** _ **you**_ **too" "That is** _ **not**_ **true" said Sam, "I really liked it" From the next row Aelita was gazing out the window, still thinking of Lions, she knew the plane would land soon. "Hey Li" Olivia asked, "What's the first you want to do in Africa" "I would really like to go hiking" Aelita answered, "On the savannah I mean" "Oooh" Belle, Sissi and Dorcas shrieked. Just then Idith and Inez Branko emerged from their seats, covered in peanuts. "What's up with them" asked Kairi. "The Branko twins, Idith and Inez" said Olivia, "They're telekinetic and get really mad when someone hits them with something" Aelita shuddered at the thought, did these twins even have….parents? The peanuts began to fall off them and shooting towards Odd's booth, Fidelio pulled down his cello case and jumped into it, Simon dove below his seat pulling an excited Zoku right along with him, Grover strapped himself to the window with his belt, Ash climbed down three rows with his hands over his head, Toph ducked Odd and herself underneath the row with Simon and Zoku, only Sam (who Odd had tried to pull down with him and Toph) was pelted was pelted with peanuts, Aelita noticed a favoring the twins had with Ulrich. She, Katara, Olivia, Kairi, Jesse,May and Annabeth turned their chairs around so they were facing, Jeremy, Aang, Charlie, Sora, Jared, Tory, and Percy's row. "It's weird isn't it" said Percy dangling Riptide (his sword which disguised itself as pen) from his fingers, "Those girls don't seem to have it in for your friend." "It is weird" said Jeremy closing his laptop, "Ulrich and Yumi have been acting weird lately" "Something strange really is going on with them" Aelita said cuddling one of her stuffed animals, "I mean remember last night when Belle knocked we over and Yumi took** _ **her**_ **side" "Maybe their brains have been taken over by mutant aliens" said Sora stamping his duffel bag shut, "and they can only act rotten" Aang laughed. "Toph did mention something about her family being from another planet" he said tying his rucksack to his air bender staff. "Maybe it's just a phase" said Charlie putting his trumpet case back into his backpack, "I mean no normal kids will want to keep hanging out with that lot" "I** _ **don't**_ **think it is a phase" said Annabeth counting her Greek architecture books and repacking them, "I've seen** _ **phases**_ **with situations like this in my stepmom's soap operas and usually two people can't go through the** _ **exact**_ **same phase at the** _ **exact**_ **same time" "Gee, Ana" said Olivia throwing open her suitcase and realizing she'd only brought one outfit, "You don't** _ **seriously**_ **thinkUlrich and Yumi want to** _ **stay friends**_ **with those** _ **snobs, who only want to hang out with them so they can use them as spies!**_ **""It could be some sort of spell" said May readjusting her fanny pack, "I mean that Tilpin kid seems to have some kind of power over people" That caused everyone to think about for a moment and then Katara broke the silence. "But a spell can be broken like a habit can't it" she said tucking her water skin back into her jacket, "I mean spells are only temporary" "I don't think this on could be" said Tory putting his tackle box into his backpack, "I mean some spells have to** _ **taken off.**_ **And I don't think Tilpin is going to take it off, unless there's a task he wants Ulrich and Yumi to do" "If that's true" said Jared putting a padlock on** _ **The Field Guide,**_ **"then we better be in our bonnets, there's something about that Tilpin I find creepy" "They're** _ **all**_ **creepy" said Kairi trying to keep her overnight bag on her lap, "If Yumi and Ulrich are** _ **really**_ **your friends they've got to be under a spell to hang with** _ **them"**_ **"I think this is some sort of protest against you guys" said Jesse (who before this trip did not believe in the Red King at all) opening a bag of peanuts, "There are no such things as spells anyway. Have you and Jeremy kept anything from them, Li" Aelita shuddered, could Ulrich and Yumi really be scheming with those jerks to get revenge for the vow? "What are you dweebs talking about?" Sissi's head appeared along with Belle's and Dorcas's over the seat's edge, "How stupid you are?" "NO!" said Aelita trying hard not to sound nervous, "Just about when we think the plane is going to land" "It's landing in five minutes" said Belle (who had come to take every chance she got to insult Aelita), "But you do** _ **know**_ **there's a bathroom** _ **on**_ **the plane" But Aelita, Jeremy, Aang, Katara, Charlie, Olivia, Sora, Kairi, Jared, Jesse, Tory, May, Percy and Annabeth weren't listening to her, they were too busy watching a woman who looked almost exactly like the Wicked Witch of the West fly right beside the plane. Once she waved at them.**

 **Elphaba may have** _ **naturally**_ **looked like the Wicked Witch of the West, but she knew, as clever Aelita and her friends were, they hadn't** _ **completely**_ **figured out the "surprise", for she wasn't dressed as herself today or even wearing** _ **the hat**_ **. Today Elphaba wore her long black hair in a ponytail, a gray flannel shirt, a black tube top, a pair of black jeans and black hiking boots, it was her first time without** _ **the hat**_ **in almost fourteen years, it was strange dressing so differently than she normally did, but well Elphie could fit in when she wanted, Glinda was another story, she fought hard to be fashionable and owned no earth shoes, but high heels."Hey Glinda!" Elphie hollered over the plane's propellers, "Everything alright on starboard? We'll be landing soon" Glinda's bubble (as fast as Elphie's broom, but not as stationary) appeared just above the plane. "Sorry, Elphie" Glinda's voice came out from inside the bubble, "I can't understand you when you're talking in boat language" "It means 'is everything alright on the right side of the plane" Elphaba groaned, was Glinda right about** _ **anything**_ **that didn't have to do with Aelita's powers? "OH!" Glinda's voice came from the bubble again, "In that case everything's 'ship shape'! How are things from your end" "Well I think Aelita, the Belquois boy, the Avatar, his little water tribe friend, two of those kids from Bloor's, the boy with the Key Blade, the young Princess of Heart, the boy with the field guide, the leader of the orphaned thieves from the other night, two of those kids from the Pokémon world and those two demigods saw me" Elphaba said sticking her broom to the edge of the plane, "So I waved, and I think the fourteen of them have realized Stern and Ishyama might not be….." "Chosen" Glinda finished the sentence for her, "Well they should have known sooner, but who knows maybe they are, maybe they aren't, who knows?" "That's the point" said Elphaba, "If Stern and Ishyama aren't chosen then they were probably just using the fight against Xana to get to know each other better" Glinda plastered here self next to Elphaba on the plane. "And if they are chosen?" "Then I'll feel like a complete idiot, because I misjudged them" Elphaba had never trusted Ulrich and Yumi, and now she didn't know whether she should feel good about being right or upset for the fact that untilyesterday Aelita only had** _ **three**_ **real friends. "Don't worry about it Elphie," said Glinda, "When life gives you lemons make, lemonade" "Speaking of that I think Aelita's pretty good at it" As the plane landed, both witches had a thought in their heads: Where was Antea? Little did they know she was invisibly near.**

 _ **It hadn't always been this way. Antea Hopper remembered brighter days; the days spent playing in the snow with Aelita, the days with Franz reading by the fire place, even the days cleaning for her sister, Ursa (who was Zuko and Azula's mother) seemed beautiful in the midst of these terrible days, spent cooking and cleaning for Maleficent, the Bloors, Admiral Zhao, and all the others. But where could Antea go? She was trapped in a dank place called "the Void", which was an evil hollow where the bad guys ruled the world, and people went if they were not quite dead and not quite alive, not even Hades lord of the Dead knew they were there. "Get back to work, servant" Marluxia a nobody from Castle Oblivion knocked Antea over, "You can't just stand around" "Alright, alright. Yeesh!" said the sad woman picking herself off the floor, "Do I look like a soccer ball to you" Antea's only way of ignoring the emptiness and sorrow of missing her Franzie and Baby was acting rebellious to her captors, her older sister Ursa on the other hand never once had a rebellious heart as a child, and preferred to attend to her work. "Don't get in his way" Ursa urged Antea, "And he'll stop being in yours all the time" "You've got no guts" Antea told her sister, "Why do you let them push you around?" "They're monsters" said Ursa. Antea made a face, of course Ursa had "a good reason", ever since they were children it seemed Ursa always had "a good reason", Antea was a born Saudi Arabian tradition rebel, Ursa followed the rules because "Mama said so", Antea tried to be smart and help animals, Ursa was purposely stupid and avoided animals because "Brainy women don't get men and neither do girls who make friends with crap",Antea followed her heart, Ursa went along with marrying Ozai because "he had plenty of money and was handsome". "You know we can beat them" said her sister, "And even if I'm wrong my husband and daughter will come and save us, with their wonderful friends" "Don't make me laugh" said a voice behind her back, Antea spun around to see Yorath Yewbeam, "Your husband is a weak man, and your daughter won't make it here without her powers" Antea gulped in worry, Franz might not be as weak as he was as a boy or when Xana had kidnapped him, but he still was sickly, and what on earth did Yorath mean by Aelita wouldn't make it here "without her powers"? "You don't scare me, shape-shifter!" she shouted, hiding her fear, "My daughter has her powers and used them to save my husband's life." "Don't get too rebellious" said Ursa. Her words came too late; Antea had just jumped on the scarred, shape-shifter's stomach and was clawing at him like a cat to a ball of yarn. Yorath pushed her off. "There are times ingrate!" he said, "that I wish you and your sister stopped acting so childish" "Nice work" Ursa said, "Now they're mad at BOTH of us" Antea glared at her sister, there were times…Suddenly all she see could was terrible problems her husband and child got into, she fell to the ground only to face Maleficent. "I'm sure Franz and Aelita are fine" said the wicked witch. "Who told you their names" "You did when you first got here" Antea smelled a rat; the villains were up to something.  
**_ **  
When the plane landed, just about everyone had to have their luggage checked to ensure nobody was carrying a weapon, Aelita found this utterly embarrassing, all the good kids did, as she poured out her stuffed animals and safari gear, she thanked God nothing in her bag would give away the secret. Only one kid who wasn't one of Ezekiel's spies didn't empty her bag and got away with it, Samantha Knight. "That was totally humiliating" said Odd as they were leaving the airport in a stretch limo, "At least now we'll get to see some tigers and have a mochachino" "Sorry to crush your hopes, Odd" Aelita said wondering why Ezekiel let "the bad kids" in his limo, "But they're aren't any tigers in Africa, but there are** _ **lions"**_ **"There's still hot coffee, right?" Aelita smiled at Katara, Olivia, Kairi, Jesse, May, and Annabeth as if to say "well he's made stupider errors". "Well" Jeremy said to her as the limo took off,  
"When do you think we should tell the new kids about…." "As soon as we've gotten used to each other" said Aelita, "I really like them and I think we should get to know them better before we tell them…." "You're right!" said Jeremy, "Hey earlier on the plane you mentioned your father coming here before" Aelita grinned, the thought of that made it seem less humiliating. "Why can't we tell them now?" said Aang to Katara at the exact same moment "We can't hold back…." "I know" said Katara "I just want to be more used to them before we announce….." "Hey it's alright they'll understand" Aang said, "They seem nice enough to" "I don't think it's the right time" Charlie was telling Olivia "I mean what if they can't keep…" "You're right, Charlie" said Olivia, "We should get to know them better before we spill the beans about….." "Why are saying that" asked Charlie expecting her to argue. "It's just an idea" "Are you sure you don't want to tell them" Sora asked Kairi, "You do how long we **_**can't**_ **keep…." "I know, I know" Kairi told him, "I just don't want it to get in the way of our friendship with them and what if they don't understand…" "All right we'll keep the secret just a bit longer" said Sora, "we'll wait for the best moment" "Come on little bro" said Mallory, "You have to at least tell Jess….." "Not now I can't" said Jared, "And by** _ **me**_ **I hope you mean** _ **we**_ **since I'm not going to be the only one who loses friends over…." "Guys," Simon urged, "we can all tell everybody at the same time. Okay?" "Okay" said both Jared and Mallory. "We've got to tell them" Zoku told Jesse, "We can't keep holding back….." "No! Okay?" said Jesse, "I have to know if Jared will hate forever if he finds out and those other kids, will they even trust me if they know…" "Fine!" said Blygs, "We'll keep it a secret till we know them well enough" "I just can't help it" said Tory, "I don't know how you can hide…" "It's in my blood, Tory" said May, "And besides we barely know these kids, I think we should wait a while before we tell them…." "Alright, Deal" "But Ana" said Percy (who was really getting into calling Annabeth by her nickname), "We can't keep you-know-what a secret from** _ **them!**_ **They're our friends for gods' sake" "Gee, Percy I-love-arguing-with-you-during-summer-not-even-spent-questing-or-even-at-Camp Half-blood" said Annabeth sarcastically, "But if they are our friends, we need to know if they can be trusted with things like you-know-what" "Fine" said Percy, "We'll hide it all Summer if we have to" "Not what I said" Just then the limo hit a bump….and Ezekiel's dog, Percy (whom Little Billy and I call Blessed) threw up, all over the floor, and Aelita and Jeremy and Aang and Katara and Charlie and Olivia and Sora and Kairi and Jared and Jesse and Tory and May and Percy and Annabeth. It was the biggest mess (that didn't involve injury) on the trip.**

 **When they got out of the limo, Aelita looked around her; they appeared to be in the middle of nowhere. "Excuse me Mr. Ezekiel" asked Little Billy in a frightened voice, "Where are we?" "Does 'in the middle of nowhere where we'll probably go mad before the school year begins' answer your question" asked a bored Ezekiel. Aelita shot her father a look that said, "please tell me you remember something about Africa". "Well actually" Franz said, "I think we're somewhere in between the Ibititi village and Pride Rock National park" "Gross what's Ibititi" said asked Yumi's little brother Hiroki. "And where's Pride Rock National Park?" asked Joshua Tilpin. Neither boy was actually interested. "The Ibititi" said Aelita remembering the stories from history class, "are supposed to be a African tribe that was wiped out by a wildebeests stampede, 100 years ago" "And Pride Rock National Park" said her father as the safari group ventured into the savannah, "is the only national park in Chad completely focused on preserving the lions' habitat" "Disgusting" said Miss Chrystal a violin teacher from Bloor's, "As if we need more lions living. All they do is eat us, we need them dead" Aelita didn't like the way some people at Bloor's talked, it was like all they cared about was money. "I hate the Outdoors" declared Mrs. Bone (Grizelda Yewbeam). "Can we go back now?" asked Herb, "The heat is scalding the bottoms of my feet" "Well put your socks back on, nerd" said Sissi throwing off her pack. "Hey squeak box" she said to Kairi, "pick that up" When Kairi bent down to pick up Sissi's pack something grabbed at her, Aelita ran back to help. "Gee Kai" she said, "I'll bet Sissi knew that was going to happen, she had Tilpin put a snake or something there" "Gosh I'm sorry" And the two girls ran after the rest of the group. Hours went by the 200 students, 30 chaperones, two dogs and six-year-old pain-in-the butt never once stopped walking, even though it seemed they were going around in circles. "Um Zeke" said Jim looking at the map like it was a Chinese checkers board, "Am I the only one who realizes the map is in Swahili and it isn't being very helpful" Aelita looked around her, hadn't they been here before,** _ **five times?**_ **"Does your dad intend on telling us how long we've going around in circles" asked Sora. "I don't know if even a wildlife expert like my father has a way to get us out this" Aelita confessed, "But still I should ask him if does have an idea" "He better" said Aang looking to his friend's sweating younger cousin, "Or else Benny's going to explode" "If I know Aelita's father, he'll defiantly have a plan" said Jeremy taking a sip from his canteen, "Anybody want a drink?" "No thanks" said Charlie, "You've got to ask him sometime, Aelita or Ezekiel will keep leading around in circles until we all die of heat stroke and our bodies will be eaten by buzzards" "Thanks" said Olivia sarcastically, "I feel like I can conquer anything now" "Hey guys" said Jesse, "Even if Franz (on the flight Aelita had explained to the new kids that her father preferred to called his first name by his daughter's friends) doesn't have a plan it's not like Ezekiel's going to suck the fun out of the whole trip" "That's the spirit, Jess" said Jared hoping his mother was doing alright alone in the house with Jennifer (his father's fiancé) Thimbletack and Hogsqueal, "Keep it up" "I don't think we should be getting our optimism up" said Kairi who was still giddy from the accident, "What if I step on another snake like before" "If you ask me" said Annabeth, "Snakes should the least of our worries" "Yeah" said Percy thinking about monsters right along with her, "There must be a lot more to be scared of than snakes" At that moment, everyone started thinking of their worst fears, Aelita of the Men In Black hiding in the bushes waiting for her, Jeremy of jackals, hyenas and maybe one or two of the monsters that used to be Xana's, Aang and Katara of Saudi Arabian spies, Charlie and Olivia of just plain anything the Bloor's could control, Sora and Kairi of Heartlesses, Jared of goblins or ogres, Jesse of the Kents, and Tory and May of Team Rocket (a group of people who stole Pokémon). "NO!" Tory cried, "No, no way. We can't be lost!" "Tory! Calm down" urged May. "I really think we should talk to Franz!" said Katara. "You're right Kat" said Aelita "Daddy usually has a plan" When they caught site of Franz, he was making markings in dirt. "What are doing, sir" asked Tory. "It's called a blaze" Franz explained, "If you see the same one again it means you're going around in circles" "Are we?" all fourteen kids asked at once. Franz gave them a look that said "what do you think" Suddenly Matron came up dispersing the group and getting them all to one spot, the watering hole. "Alright" said Ezekiel, "This is where we set up camp" "But sir" said Grover, "this is the tenth time we've been to this water hole" "And it's the best place we found, now start setting up tents" As the complaining good kids began working and the bad kids settled down for a cappuccino, five mysterious women joined the group.**

 **Glinda and Elphaba had been trying to catch up with the group all day, but Zuko's younger sister Azula and her friends Ty Lee (who was a former circus acrobat) and Mai (who was a blade wielder and in love Zuko) weren't as unsuccessful at running at an unseen distance, unlike Zuko, Azula was highly favored by their father, an expert fire bender and very wicked, or at least that was how it had been before last week, when she discovered her father was getting remarried to a woman by the name of, Jadis who claimed to have once been the Queen of Narnia, a country Azula had never heard of, and made it clear from their first meeting that, she didn't want to have children, she didn't want Azula for a daughter and she didn't want Ursa's name mentioned in her presence. Azula decided, she didn't want much to do with Jadis herself, so she made up a story and ran off to try a good, and of course she took Ty Lee and Mai with her. "Gee" Mai was saying as they'd finally found out where the group was spending the night, "I thought this hike would be interesting so far, reformation is** _ **boring**_ **" Azula paid no attention to her, this was keen way to keep yourself from having to listen the Mai Wing Yee boredom list. "Oh come on, Mai" said Ty Lee Jay Miss So, "It could be worse" "I'm sorry Ty Lee" said Azula wondering how these two very different could friends for so long, "but I'm with Mai on this one. That man practically lead them into a bat cave" "But he didn't" "What those kids need is a map written in English" said Mai. Azula nodded remembering she had one. "Hey Ty Lee" she said, "Where's the map" "What map?" asked Ty Lee flipping over to walk on her hands. "The map I wrote in English for this trip" said Azula. "I thought Mai had it" said Ty Lee. Azula turned to Mai. "I thought you had it" said Mai. "Well I don't, I thought it was** _ **Ty Lee's**_ **turn to take the map" "I thought it was** _ **Mai's**_ **turn to take the map" "I thought since** _ **Azula**_ **wrote the stupid thing she'd want to carry it" "And I thought this trip couldn't get much worse, turns out we were all wrong" said a voice, all three girls turned right beside was Zuko, "Now what are you three doing here" "Frankly" sais Azula, "don't try to fightus, we don't want to hurt you" Zuko gasped, was this really his sister? "Don't think I don't know what's going on" he said, "Because I know what's going on. Now, what's going on?" "You just said you** _ **knew**_ **your father was getting remarried to a crazy woman who looks half-dead" said Ty Lee. "What?" who was this loony girl kidding; Zuko wasn't falling for it this time, "Okay since when is Dad even** _ **dating**_ **" "I don't know" Azula insisted, "I hadn't even seen his fiancé till last week and she's** _ **horrible**_ **" "She eats all her food cold and puts ugly statues in the quarry" Mai added. "Alright I get and I'll play along and until I know if this is a double cross" said Zuko, "Now please help us set up the tents and don't call me 'Zuzu'" "Deal" said Azula. And the four joined up with the group.**

 **Glinda and Elphaba didn't arrive until after dinner. It was a good thing for them too, around the campfire after the tents were set up by the hard working good kids, who were pressured too hard, by the lazy bad kids, Manfred handed out pizzas to Ezekiel's pets, while everyone else was served goopy mush they had to eat with their hands by Matron. Since it was cold, Azula turned it down politely (but still had to eat it) thinking of Jadis, and Aelita couldn't eat because she had to watch Venetia sneak Eric a bigger piece of pizza, it reminded her of cooking with her mother on Father's Day. "I don'tknow why Ulrich and Yumi are acting so snobby" said Odd trying to feed his mush to his dog Kiwi (he thought it was dog food), "I mean I like pizza but watching them eat it so snobbily when we're all eating who-knows-what is too much to bear" "You know" said Jared thinking of Hogsqueal again, "I've got this friend, he'd eat this, he'll eat anything" "Bluffer!" teased Benjamin letting his dog, Runner Bean sniff the mush to determine what it was, "** _ **Nobody**_ **would eat this" "** _ **Nobody with taste buds,**_ **anyway" said Patrick as he and Benny dumped their untouched meals into the river. "It's true" said Mallory, "we've all met this friend of Jared's he swallowed our mom's car keys" "Whole" Simon added, "and he chewed up my junior microscope" "Sounds like a real charmer" said Bobby through a fake mouthful of the stuff (it was really dirt). "What is this" cautioned Aang the vegetarian, "It better not be meat because I don't eat meat" "Ezekiel's really done it this time" sighed Charlie. Aelita noticed her father wasn't eating either, she had to ask what was going on, but Sora beat her to it. "Excuse me sir" he asked (since his entire branch of the new kids really liked Jeremy and he never called Franz anything, but sir they picked it up from him), "Why aren't you eating" "You shouldn't eat dung beetles" Franz answered. Now that cost everyone who was eating the mush and several people who weren't their appetite except for Sam, she wouldn't stop eating. "Did I mention" Franz added softly, "I have a story to tell" That was when little Eric piped up, "So does Belle! So does Belle!" "Well if Belle has a story" said Manfred, "let's hear it" "Yeah" said Dagbert looking excited, "Let's hear Belle's story first" As usual the Bloors and their spies got their way, Belle told a very boring story about a heroine named Yolanda Yewbeam who killed a dreadful French witch. Aelita was dying to hear her father's story, but he had to tell it to them in her, Katara, Olivia, Kairi, Jesse, May, and Annabeth's (which also belonged to Belle, Dorcas and Sissi) because Ezekiel ordered all the children who done work to bed right after dinner, Franz seemed to like this better. "Once upon a time" he began, "there was a young orphaned boy who came to Pride Rock National Park when he was 14-years-old for a school field trip" As he told the story, Aelita was drawn into the savannah with her young father and her friends. "One day as he was studying plant life" Franz continued, "He heard a roar for help from a young lion, all he could think of doing answer it, he followed the call all to a rocky ledge, where the animal was in the middle of a wildebeest stampede, so the boy reached down his hand and saved Prince as called the lion" "That was a great story, sir" said Jeremy. That was something everyone agreed to. Aelita wondered, if the boy was really her father, as she lay down to sleep, dreaming of the lions and of the rescue. Little she did know how well the lion remembered her father.**

 **Not far away in Pride Rock National Park, Prince, Simba to his fellow lions was out on the National Park's namesake with his father Mufasa (Goliath to the rangers) and his uncle Scar (Old Nick to the rangers who didn't agree with the lions'perspective on the name), they were looking at the stars all thinking of something, Mufasa, of his mate (and Simba's mother) Sarabi (whom the rangers called Natasha) who had died when she was bitten by a puff adder, a dangerous snake, Scar, halfway of the Schaeffer boy who had ruined his chances of becoming king years ago, halfway of steak the human food he ate everyday before Sarabi died, Simba of his mother, his mate Nala (who Antea named Cheyenne) who disappeared around the same time Antea did, of his friend Franz almost like a brother and of his crippled daughter, Kiara who hadn't walked since her mother's disappearance. They were saying nothing until Scar broke the silence. "Oh disgusting" he said, "Something reeks of pine cones and dust" "Pine cones and dust?" Simba's ear perked up, "You mean like the way Franz smelled" He remembered the smell, because it was hard to forget the smell of someone who saved your life. "Simba don't get your hopes up" said Mufasa, "Plenty of humans smell like those" "Alone yes" Simba admitted, "But together….." "Don't think of it that way, son" said Mufasa, "Even if it is him, you must do what's best for Kiara" "And that is….." asked Scar hoping for a boring lecture. "Stay clear of the humans you don't trust" "I will" said Simba, "I was just hoping it was him because maybe he could help with…." "Simba, you know who could be with him" said Mufasa, "But yes it would be better if Franz could rid Kiara of her stiff leg." Just then a small young lioness, with brown eyes and a limb that looked like a hyena had chewed off the upper muscles of the leg it was on walked out of the cave. "Kiara" Simba said going up to his wobbling daughter, "It's late. What are you doing up?" "I couldn't sleep" said Kiara softly, "My leg keeps waking me up" "Hush" Simba nuzzled her gently, "That can happen sometimes, but it goes away" "Of course it does" Scar muttered, "** _ **Humans**_ **make go it away." "Scar, be quiet!" said Mufasa, "You know that's not true" That pushed Simba into remembering Franz, a skinny lifesaving hand, a warm pat on the back, kibble; maybe humans were the answer to Kiara's problem. "Hey Scar" he said, "that's actually a good idea" Nobody knew what he meant, nor did they see a green women on a broomstick land on the nearby camp.  
After hours of running to catch up Glinda and Elphaba finally made it to camp, they were sweaty, and tired. Most of the clothes Glinda had packed were ruined, and Elphaba was in a bad mood. As soon as they trudged into camp, Franz knew something was going on. "** _ **They**_ **know we're here" announced Elphaba throwing her suitcase on the cot, "Ezekiel had this all planned out" Franz shifted his feet, he knew what she meant by** _ **they**_ **and he didn't want** _ **them**_ **anywhere near his daughter. "Any other news" he asked hoping for a lead on his wife's whereabouts. "Oh yeah" Elphie signaled for Glinda to come in, "We need to keep an eye on two girls, a real bottle blond called Donner and an African American named Knight" Glinda came in with Mr. Yewbeam and Miss Julia Ingledew, Emma's aunt. "Good evening, Paton." said Elphie, "Hello Julia. I was just telling Franz….." "We know what you're talking about" interrupted Paton, "And we're all aware that Yolanda's** _ **back.**_ **The question is: why is she back?" "Elphie and I were hoping you'd know" admitted Glinda.** _ **Oh great**_ **Elphaba thought,** _ **now Glinda's acting like we depend everything on Paton! It's going to be a long summer.**_ **"Well" said Julia, "we thought Yolanda was dead to be truthful. I mean who could survive an electric shock that strong" "I don't care** _ **how**_ **she survived" said Franz, "I just want to know** _ **what**_ **she wants with my Aelita" "Well that's easy" said Paton, "She wants to find out who the most powerful young witch is so she can get her powers" Franz examined a toe nail clipping he'd gotten from Sam. "I was afraid of that" he said softly. "Don't worry about it, Franz" said Julia, "There's a one-in-a-million chance it's Aelita" "Correction" Franz said, "There** _ **was**_ **a one-in-a-million chance it was Aelita four months ago ever since she saved my life" he shuddered at the memory of the night he finally was rid of his homicidal creation, "one-in-a-million has become one-in-ten and there are only five other young witches here" "Well" said Elphaba in soft voice, "Maybe Aelita can stop Yolanda" "Elphie's right" said Glinda who said that phrase an awful lot, "Maybe Aelita's as brave as…" "Her mother" Julia finished the sentence. To that all Franz said was, "I'm just going to check on her." With that he left his tent and went into the small girls' tent on the right. When he peaked in, Aelita was sleeping soundly; he slowly went over to her.** _ **Tomorrow**_ **Franz told himself gazing upon her sleeping face,** _ **tomorrow I'll tell her who she is and make it known that she is the Lyoko Warrior I've always encouraged her to be after all it's the best way to protect her from Yolanda**_ **Franz kissed Aelita's forehead and fondled her hair. "I love you" he told her softly, "Good night, Baby" He walked out, unaware of her dreams.**

 _ **One minute it was a good dream, one minute all Aelita Hopper's trouble had faded away, one minute she was gliding down the Savannah on the wings of a silver eagle, with Katara, Olivia, Kairi, Jesse, May, Annabeth, and a young lioness. Beside them Jeremy, Aang, Charlie, Sora, Jared, Tory, and Percy flew on the back of sky bison, to their other side Odd, Toph, Fidelio, Simon, Zoku, Ash, and Grover rode on a flying lemur, nearby William, Sokka, Tancred, Lysander, Riku, Blygs, and Brock flew gliders, the others were on clouds, except for Emma who was a bird. Then Katara cried out, "We need you, Aelita" "I need you too" Aelita told her new friends. Suddenly the entire sky went black and two women, one an old crone with yellow skin hanging in folds, the other a beautiful women with white skin and bleary eyes stepped from the cloud with Ulrich and Yumi hot on their heals. "They don't need you, Aelita" said Yumi. "And we want you" said Ulrich. Aelita froze, her heart was beating at an accelerating rate and tears were filling her eyes. "Some friends they are" said the white skinned women, "Time for you to decide who your real friends are" The young lioness snarled in Aelita's arms. "Krissy" Aelita coaxed wondering about the name, "Please stop" "Never mind your pet" said the old crone, "Now decide or we'll take your powers" Aelita knew her decision was the boys' decision as well, she had to choose the new kids, it was the only choice there seemed to be, but still Ulrich and Yumi were once her friends. Just then from out of the sky, came an older lioness, a huge lion and…..was that her mother? The big lion stopped on the eagle's wings and said…."What your former associates are telling youis a lie, dear one. Your new friends do need you" Aelita trusted this lion, but she didn't know who to believe, so she looked to her mother. "Those two?Your friends?" Antea Hopper looked astonished, "I love you and your father. And I want you to make good choices, for now go with those you know are your friends" Aelita knew now who she had to pick. "Why do I have to decide" she said, "Why can't we all be friends" Just then the old crone knocked from her the eagle shouting, "Hand over your powers" "What powers?" Aelita cried, "What are talking about" And then she woke up.**_


	6. The Hike

**Chapter 4: The Hike**

 **The next morning, Aelita was the second one up, she got dressed quickly and found Odd's mysterious friend Sam mashing beetles. "You know" Aelita said laughing, "Even if Ezekiel insists you waste your time making breakfast for us good kids, we don't have to eat it. I can cook" "No thanks" said Sam, "Ezekiel didn't tell me to bake this. I like it. The beetles taste like they were in something" Aelita was too polite to say, "They're dung beetles, which means theywere something: dung". Instead she just smiled up until Sam said "Besides you're a kid. You can't cook. It's supposed to be your dad's job" Aelita couldn't believe how obnoxious this girl was, it was nauseating."My father" Aelita admitted regretfully, "Isn't** _ **the best**_ **cook and my mother passed down some recipes to me before she…" She stopped; it was too painful to think about. "Okay Miss Know-it-all" said Sam accidently beheading one of her beetles, "Make breakfast, but I'm sticking to this" Aelita was able to find some fruit to use for juice and Ezekiel had some eggs, bread, spices and vegetables in his bag all of which primary parts of Antea Hopper's recipe books. When everyone else got up, Ezekiel discovered two things: 1. He couldn't mash dung beetles and beetle dung anymore since someone liked it, and 2. Aelita was the kind of child who could cook like some kids could do their homework, she had to do it and soon decided to do it right. Of course Ezekiel didn't care for the food Aelita made and insisted the good kids eat it, while the bad kids had desert for breakfast. "Gee" said Odd tasting his food, "Ezekiel was fair and didn't realize it, this stuff is awesome! What's in it anyway?" "Scrambled eggs, white bread and mixed vegetables" "Seriously" Odd said "What's in this stuff?" "I'm completely serious, Odd." "SERIOUSLY!?" Odd yelped. Blygs was sulking, unable to believe that the pink-haired wuss had beaten himin cooking, something he was truly good at. Zoku, on the other hand, was scarfing it down like there was no tomorrow. Just then, the five strangers emerged (well, three of them weren't exactly strangers). Elphaba came out of one of the chaperone tents first, followed by Glinda from the same tent. Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai came out of their own tent in the back. "What are THEY doing here!?" Sokka accused, freaking out. Azula turned to look at him. "To make a long story short, Ty Lee lost our map," She snapped. "Mai's the one who lost the map!" Ty Lee shouted. "Ty Lee lost the map," Mai retorted. Blygs cut in, troubled by his unimportance in the conversation. "So, Azula told Ty Lee to get the map, and then Ty Lee thought Mai had the map, and Mai thought Azula had the map?" "Seems like it," Zuko muttered. Blygs wandered into his tent, very, very, very confused by all of shrugged. "So, who're the strangers?" "I understand you're in need of a science teacher," Elphaba stated, ignoring the question. "Well, uh, yeah," Jim said. "Why? Are you planning to teach these maggots?" "MAGGOTS!?" Zoku yelped. "Joke!" Jim replied. "Of course I can do the job," Elphaba replied to the question that was asked about two minutes ago (there was a lot of arguing between Zoku and Jim that I won't post). Glinda chimed in at this moment. "I think I can teach drama with Mrs. Marlowe." Jim faced her. "Okay, uh, so when are you guys planning to start?" "Whenever you think we're ready. A big, strong man like you must also be smart, right?" Jim blushed. "Well, yeah, uh, you can start right away!" Elphaba sighed, annoyed by Glinda's attempt at flirting. Just then, Aelita realized that she may have seen the two women before—they looked familiar. She was about to ask her father about it when Matron came in for morning announcements. "All right," said the old woman. "today we will rent camels and go to the biggest city for one thousand miles to get a guide and out of this mess." Suddenly, Percy interrupted. "Um, ma'am, I thought we were going hiking today." Matron made a face. "Bah! Hiking! We've seen enough of nature!" This is when Aelita's father finally decided to intervene. "I think I can take some of the more willing children hiking." He said. Mai cut in: "Pass. I've seen enough of the jungle for one lifetime." Zuko grinned. "You sure about that?" "Y'know, I was once a park ranger," Jim began. "Let me guess," Odd cut in. "You'd rather not talk about it." Everyone who knew Jim well enough burst out laughing. Everyone else just looked confused. "Very funny, Della Robia," Jim replied. "But GROW UP. PLEASE."Everyone shouldered their packs. The heroes could see that today would be fateful.**

 _ **Meanwhile, back in the Void, Antea could feel it as well; today would be the day her daughter would discover her powers. The day it would all make sense. Beside her, Ursa (on the other hand) only smelled trouble. All the heartless were in a particularly bad mood, especially Ansem. "All right," Antea said, pacing back and forth. "Today's the day. I can feel it." Ursa shook her head. "You're only leading the evil ones on. You have to stop believing that the only thing standing between the world and destruction is our children!" "But it is," Antea replied. She had studied the telescope, showing them to the other world. "Fate's coming." Ursa rolled her eyes. She had never been good with magic stuff. There had been times she had shared her husband's disbelief in magic. It was then that the first guard came in. It was Pete; a very annoying, very stupid heartless. Antea liked it when he guarded; it meant she could study the spyglass without being yelled at. Pete turned to her sister first. "Shouldn't you be working, wench?" He demanded, grinning at the fact that he could use words like that to sound important. It thrilled him to take command over the prisoners. Then he turned to Antea. "Hey servant, the spyglass is for authorized personnel only!" . He was so happy to be able to use words like those to make him sound smart (Which, as we all know, he's not). Antea groaned. "You know what Pete?" She said. "Maleficent isn't going to give you a promotion unless you start acting like this is an earth prison, which means we're allowed to dream of freedom." Pete turned. "Uh, but, so… You're NOT using it to keep watch over your husband and daughter?" "No, I'm not," Antea lied. "I'm simply trying to get a view of the outside world." "You liar," Ursa muttered under her breath. Antea stomped on her foot, HARD. Ursa shut up instantly. "All right, all right!"Said Pete. "But any funny business, and it's solitary for a week." "Thank goodness," Ursa murmured. Antea stomped again. It was then Pete took his "early" lunch break (Which he does about every two hours). "Nice work, sis," said Ursa. "We'll both be punished if you get caught helping your family again!" "Well," Antea shot back, "at least I bother to TRY!" After that, they were both silent.**_

"My feet hurt," Blygs whined. "Why can't I fly?" Jesse groaned. "Quit being such a baby," Zoku grumbled, and shoved him playfully. "Just messin' around," Blygs muttered. "Quit bickering, you two," Jesse snapped. Up ahead, somebody else was acting immature. "This hike drags on forever. I am sooooooooooooooo bored," Mai complained. "Aw, c'mon, it's fun!" Ty Lee chirped. Azula rolled her eyes. "How on earth did you survive walking around in the jungle with these two?" Zuko grumbled, afterwards shooting Mai an apologetic look. Azula wondered briefly if he was talking to her or Azula herself. She answered him anyway. "They fight less when they're not exhausted." The look on Zuko's face made it clear that Azula was not the one he was referring to. Mai smiled briefly at him. He grinned back. "Will you lovebirds break it up?" Odd groaned. "I think we should stop for lunch." Aelita couldn't believe what she was hearing. "We just did. Three hours ago." Franz turned to face the students. "I think it's time to stop." "FINALLY!" Mai and Blygs chorused simultaneously. They stopped over a rocky ledge. It was seemingly deserted—except for a hornbill that appeared to be on a scouting mission. Franz undid his pack to reveal a small Chinese box. Aelita gazed at it. "Um, Daddy, what's in the box?" Her father looked to the sky. "Many of you by now have heard of the Red King," He began. "From him, many of you are descended, even those who come from other worlds. You all have special powers and abilities that make up who you are, and your destiny is to save the world." Suddenly, Jesse interrupted him. "Wait, sir, all you're saying about spells and magic and the Red King? You do know that none of that stuff is real, right?" Franz grinned. "Nothing is as it seems. You have to start believing that." Suddenly, the sky turned black. Aelita could feel the wind on her shoulders; wings were sprouting from her back. Odd yelped, "HOLY CRAP!" as he watched, and everyone else turned to look. As Aelita looked around her, suddenly everyone faded but Jeremy, Aang, Katara, Charlie, Olivia, Sora, Kairi, Jared, Jesse, Tory, May, Percy, and Annabeth. They were surrounded by dark sky and a new voice was speaking. "They are here," it boomed. "The leaders of the final generation of the Warrior Council. Together, the fourteen of you and your friends will save the universe! But the fourteen of you have been chosen to lead, because you are the most strategic (Annabeth), daring (Percy), optimistic (May), cautious (Tory), bold (Jesse), elusive (Jared), innocent (Kairi), courageous (Sora), stealthy (Olivia), prepared (Charlie), responsible (Katara), powerful (Aang), intelligent (Jeremy), and pure (I think you can guess who this is). Now, you are all together and the dawning of a new era will begin here." The voice faded, and everything was as it was as quickly as it had changed earlier. Odd grinned. "That was SOOOOOOOOOO COOL! Somebody made the entire place disappear!" Aelita looked at him. "You didn't see the dark sky, or hear that voice?" "You're dreaming, pinky." Blygs groaned. "Probably just _fainted_ again.""How could she have dreamed it!?" Jeremy snapped. "I saw it too!" "Maybe you're all crazy," Blygs suggested dryly, obviously bored. "Um, dude? Jeremy's the only one that agreed," Zoku pointed out. "Just look at their faces!" Blygs informed. "I'm not crazy!" Annabeth snapped. "I know what I saw—and heard!" "Sure, sure," Blygs said dismissively. Zoku grinned. "But there _was_ a voice, AND a dark sky!" said Aang. "I saw it!" **Sokka laughed. "Either you took an unexpected trip to the Spirit World, or maybe Blygs has a point." "See, I told you!" Blygs said triumphantly. Aelita turned to her father. "Dad, please tell me you saw something." Her father smiled. "Lord Zeus has a strange way of showing his power—a way only the most chosen can see." Just then, an unexpected visitor popped out of nowhere. It was Hiroki's annoying friend Johnny. "Hi guys!" He chirped. Franz grumbled to himself. "Note to self; next time check twice who comes on life-changing trips." "Where've you guys been?" asked Johnny. "Have you seen Hiroki?" "Yeah, I have. He's right over that cliff right there," Blygs muttered, pointing in that direction. Zoku elbowed him. "No unnecessary sarcasm to the little midgets." Blygs groaned. "No, we haven't seen him," Aang corrected, shooting Blygs a death glare. "Well, dang!" said Johnny. "He's getting really chummy with Ezekiel's clowns." "Hoo boy, this'll get fun," Zoku muttered sarcastically. Zuko turned to the horizon. "We better get back to camp or we're all dead." How he managed to say that so calmly with such a straight face, no one will ever know. Aelita gazed out. "You know, Zuko, she thought aloud. "I don't think the animals attack this late in the day." "I know," Zuko answered. "I was talking about Ezekiel." They all walked off in a direction. None of them noticed Sam up on the rock ledge.**

 **Sam was waiting for her brother Pip. Soon he came. He was a small raven, with a curved beak, and he had once been Sam's only friend. "Why are you here?" said Pip. "I told you to come back to the nest and turn back into a raven!" "I didn't have much choice," said Sam. "Odd begged and pleaded. Besides, I'm sick of being a raven, and a human. I'm not going to choose. I'm going to find my own way in the world." "If you must do that," said Pip, "You have to stop giving in to that boy. He isn't your friend. He's a** _ **human.**_ **" "So am I," said Sam. "And a skateboarder." Pip groaned. "So there's no convincing you to come back to the nest?" "None at all," His sister answered. And the girl and the raven returned to the campsite.**

 **When Aelita got back, she was tired and had to lie down in the tent. The dark night was overpowering her, inside and out. Something was going on; on both Lyoko and Earth. Something she had to stop. Just then, the person she wanted least to see came in; Belle Donner. "Hey, gum-head," Belle hissed. "What's went on during that hike?" Aelita thought of the box and her father's words; of the voice, and the dark sky. "Nothing," she answered. "Good," said Belle. "That means you haven't met Lord Zeus yet." Aelita tensed. "I, uh, don't know what you're talking about!" Belle grinned and began to walk out; but then turned to face her. "Oh yeah, and by the way, Ms. Einstein, your friends, Ulrich and Yumi? They don't like you hanging out with those kids." "Well that's their problem. I like 'those kids', and they don't really know them." Belle snickered. She sounded like an old woman. Aelita tensed up again. It was going to be a long night.**


	7. The Dream

Chapter 5: The Dream

It was a frigid day. Aelita felt like she wasn't in Africa anymore, but in the Arctic. As she emerged from the tent, she realized she couldn't see. Aelita tripped on what she thought was a tree root, only it was hanging on as though it were alive. A voice called out to her: "Aelita, where are you?" Aelita tensed up; the voice somehow sounded familiar. It wasn't her father's voice; this voice was female. It wasn't Katara's voice; this voice sounded a bit older. I was her mother's voice she heard. "Mom," she whispered, realizing who she was talking to. But there was no answer. Another voice called out; this one Aelita definitely didn't know. "Stay calm," the voice cautioned. Oddly enough, this made Aelita panic more. "Who are you!?" She called out, afraid. "Calm down," the other voice warned gently. "It's okay Sweetheart, we're not going to hurt you." "But I will," a dark, stupid-sounding voice boomed. Aelita gasped. "Who are you!? What's going on!?" she demanded timidly. "It's all right," her mother consoled. "You're all right, child." Frantically, Aelita pushed back and forth, but she seemed to be going blind. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. The hand was cold. Her mother's voice came again. "Hush. Everything's going to be all right now. Just use your powers…" "What powers?" Aelita asked, utterly confused at this point. "You're an enchantress," her mother told her. "You have powers that no one else has; powers that the universe depends on for survival." Just then another voice broke in; this voice was evil to the core. "You're wasting your time," the voice cackled. "You know she's afraid of her powers." Aelita pulled away in a panic. "What powers!? What are you talking about!?" She was very afraid. There seemed to be nowhere to run. Suddenly an explosion went off in Aelita's ears. She screamed and jolted up in her sleeping bag again.

Azula stormed into the tent. "It's three o'clock in the morning! Some of us need to get some _sleep_! Which one of you has been screaming?" "To clarify, Azula," said Katara. "You are." Aelita pushed the blanket off her face. "Sorry," she muttered apologetically. "Well next time you have a nightmare, try to have it _quietly_!" Azula barked. "And next time you scream, you might want to try a little louder. I think I can still hear a little out of my right ear." Olivia said. Azula shot her a death glare and stormed out, regretting that she could not slam a tent door. Sissi made a face. "Some people are so disrespectful." She groaned. "Next time, Ms. Einstein, you should probably do your dumb stuff louder." She, Belle, and Dorcas laughed. That earned Sissi one of Katara's waterbending scrolls flying at her head; she ducked (unfortunately). The seven hero girls all went to sleep.

"Shiz, you can hear that wuss screaming from all the way over here," Blygs grumbled. "Doesn't she have something better to do than keep us up with all these annoying nightmares?" "You know, some people actually worry when they hear people screaming, especially when they seem to be targeted by some evil force." Jeremy snapped. "Well then I'm not 'some people,'" Blygs shot back. "Well, you're selfish!" Aang barked. "Not really, I just want some _sleep._ " Blygs growled. All was silent for a moment with the exception of Zoku's light snoring. _How brilliant,_ Blygs thought. _The one person who would back me up, sleeping!_ He sighed. "Any of you feel like going over to the girl's tent and getting pinky to shut up?" "Why don't you do it?" asked Jeremy. "You don't get that Aelita has a problem!" "Oh, I get that. She has several problems, actually," Blygs responded calmly. "Bad word choice," Aang whispered to Jeremy. Blygs grinned. Just then, Zuko emerged from his tent with an angry look on his face. "What is all that screaming? I can't sleep!" "Join the club," Blygs muttered. "Guess who's causing it?" Zuko groaned, finding it obvious what the answer is. "Who else screams like that?" Blygs nodded. At least someone was on his side. "Oh come on," Jeremy muttered. "Is _anyone_ worried?" "You are," Zuko pointed out. "I meant _besides_ me." He snapped. "Nope!" Blygs answered jubilantly. Aang raised his hand. "He doesn't count," Blygs said, laughing. Charlie raised his hand too. "Screw you," Blygs muttered, mood changing quickly. Sora put up his hand. "I get it!" He yelped. Zuko rolled his eyes. "If you all care so much, then why aren't you down at that tent?" He asked. "Maybe we should go!" Aang snarled. "MAYBE YOU SHOULD!" Blygs shouted. Suddenly Zoku abruptly leapt to his feet. "All of you SHUT UP!" he hollered. "I CAN"T SLEEP!" Upon saying that, he curled up in his sleeping bag and was snoring shortly after, ignoring the expressions of shock on everyone's faces.

"Knock knock, we're comin' in!" Sora hollered, stepping into the girls' tent, followed shortly afterwards by the rest of the boys (surprisingly, including Blygs). Aelita looked up. "Why are you guys here?" "To get me to shut up," Blygs said, grinning. Jeremy knelt beside her. "You okay?" he asked. "Just a nightmare," Aelita responded. "Haven't you gotten so bored of these that they don't scare you any more yet?" Blygs muttered, uninterested. Aang glared at him. "Why don't you leave?" he snapped. "Simple. Don't feel like it," Blygs replied. He immediately had to duck a hairdryer tossed at him from an unknown source (although he suspected Katara). Aang leaned over Katara. "It was just a nightmare… Right?" "Ask the one who had the nightmare, moron!" Blygs exclaimed. "You are so obnoxious," said Charlie. "Did your parents even like you?" "… I would ask 'em, but they're dead, y'know?" Blygs muttered, looking away and shoving his hands in his pockets. "I think you offended him," Sora observed. "I ain' offended, got it?" Blygs growled. "Jus' wanna get this over with so I can sleep." He didn't move, however, and continued to sulk at the tent's entrance. Aelita studied his face, wondering what he was thinking about. He seemed sad. "… What're you starin' at?" Blygs snarled when he noticed Aelita's eyes on him. Jeremy turned to her. "Don't mind him, he hates you." Blygs's face changed expression—was it guilt?—at the comment. "It's not just Aelita," said Aang. "It's all of us!" Blygs kept silent. "It's not all of us," Percy added. "It's the _world_ he hates!" "SHUT UP!" Blygs shouted, tears in the corner of his eyes now. "WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME, HUH!? NOTHIN'! NOTHIN'!" He growled, sliding into an offensive crouch, poised to attack. "Nothin'!" he repeated again, and sprung at Percy. Percy stepped nimbly out of the way, pulling Riptide out of his pocket. "So that's the way it's gonna be, huh?" He muttered, preparing to uncap his sword. Blygs placed his hands on his belt, preparing to draw his daggers. "Don't be stupid," Annabeth said calmly, stepping in between them. "There are innocent people in here, someone could get hurt. Stop acting like preschoolers." "Preschoolers wouldn't pick this kinda fight," Blygs growled, but his rage was beginning to calm itself. His hands slipped away from his weapons. "To be truthful," said Jesse. "Ricky (since they were still using aliases) is always acting like a preschooler." Blygs growled. "You shut up too." "Well I hate it!" exclaimed Jesse. "I hate pretending to be your mother!" "Well in case you didn't notice, I don't _have_ a mother, and I don't _need_ one!" He barked, his dark façade beginning to return. "Stop, stop, everybody be quiet!" Aelita was starting to feel the same hatred she had felt in that dream. "Why don't you make me, wimp? Or are you just gonna faint again?" Blygs snarled. "See?" said Jeremy. "If you hate being one of this group so much, why don't you just "go off on your own!" "Because—" Blygs sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets again. "Because I have nowhere else to go," he muttered sadly. "What's goin' on in here?" Jim barked, storming into the tent. Katara groaned. "We have to barricade the door or something, all these unwanted visitors are starting to annoy me," she muttered. "Tell me what's happening!" Jim demanded. "Nothing," Blygs muttered quietly. "We were just leaving." And then he left. "Well? Aren't you all gonna go?" Jim asked. "You know sir, I was just lodging a complaint about the noise," Zuko interrupted. "Well why don't you complain about the noise in the morning!?" Jim demanded. "Now I can't sleep either!" "Exactly," said Zuko. "I couldn't sleep, so I thought I would ask the girls to quiet down, Sir." Odd, as he passed the tent, opened his mouth to make a comment about Zuko calling Jim "sir", but Katara tossed a waterbending scroll at his head. "YYYYYYOW!" Odd hollered. "Watch where you're aiming that thing!" "I think she hit her mark," Zuko called to Odd as he left. "Now everyone, back to your respective tents!" Jim hollered. "So I can sleep! And if you wake the chaperones, you'll be in for it in the morning!" "Good night, ladies," said Jared as he walked out. Aelita tried her hardest to sleep; she knew she'd have a big day tomorrow.

Blygs sat atop the cliff, staring at the moon; he didn't get a good look at it often. How long had it been since he could honestly relax? He had barely rested since the Earth Kingdom was taken. His last hope, gone. He had truly nowhere to go; his parents were dead, his home was taken, and his world was crumbling before his eyes. His only salvation had been with the Avengers, and now they were working with the Avatar, of all people! The world's 'last hope'. Ha! All the Avatar did was make everyone rely on him instead of themselves. "You're out rather late," said a voice behind him—a voice Blygs knew all too well. He wiped stray tears from his eyes with the back of his arm and turned to face the Fire Nation princess. "What do you want," he mumbled, too tired and depressed to sound angry—anger that wasn't fake for once. "A bit of quiet—that Aelita certainly can scream." "Amen," Blygs agreed, feeling a small smile appear on his face. He looked away instantly, to hide it—he couldn't be friendly with the one that had ruined his home. Azula sat beside him. "What's with you?" she asked. "What are you talking about?" he replied blankly. "No angry comments, no attacks, no anything. Are you feeling okay?" Blygs shrugged. "Depends on what you mean by 'okay'." "Well, how are you feeling right now?" Azula asked, almost _concerned_ —no, feigning concern; she couldn't really be worried about him, she must be leading him on. At the moment, however, he was too exhausted to worry about it. "Hopeless, angry, depressed, weak, pathetic…" he started. "That's not okay," Azula said, cutting him off. "I don't hate everything," Blygs said. "I want the world to be safe, and happy. I want the world to be back to the way it was before the war." Why was he saying this? _Stupid,_ he thought to himself. _She's crazy for the war, why wouldn't she be? She's Fire Nation._ "Yeah, the war's caused more problems than it solved," she agreed, much to his surprise. "You can't really think that," he argued. "You're Fire Nation, and the royal family at that. You people started the war, and you're continuing it. Why would your kind care if it was hurting people?" "We're not all bad," Azula retorted. "It's just our way of looking at things, and I'm beginning to see differently. My brother's seen the other side of things, and I think I will soon too." Oddly enough, he believed her. She sounded sincere, and he felt like she meant what she said. "Are _you_ feeling okay? I've never heard a Fire Nation citizen talk like that—well, except Zuko, but he's not the same." She paused for a moment, thinking. "… Yeah, I think I really am okay. Better than I have been in a long time. The war's put the Fire Nation through a lot as well, especially the royal family." So you're one of the messed-up kids now, huh?" Blygs joked. "Yeah, I guess I am." Azula smiled—and it didn't creep him out for once. This smile wasn't dark; it was genuine, _real_. Blygs smiled back; he couldn't help it. "What do you mean by that?" "Well," Azula started, "my father's gone a bit power-hungry. He banished my mother, nearly killed Zuko, and I feel like he's using me." "At least you've still got a family," Blygs muttered, trying not to be cold for once. "My family was killed by the Fire Nation when they took Omashu." Azula looked away, expression filling with guilt. "I'm sorry about that, Ricky." Blygs hesitated, then said, "that's not my real name." Azula looked at him, confused. "Don't call me this in front of the others, but my real name is Blygs. Ricky Webb is just an alias." "I see," she muttered. "Well your secret's safe with me, as long as you don't tell anyone the sappy junk I just spilled." "As far as I'm concerned, this conversation never happened," Blygs replied, grinning. "Now let's get to bed, we're likely gonna get woken up again sooner or later." Azula nodded and they both left.

In the tent, Franz Hopper was waiting for Katara and Sokka's father, Hakoda. Franz and "Kody" had been friends for years. Franz was an orphan; his parents were killed in a car accident. Hakoda Quong, "Kody" in High School, and his single mother, had been one of his foster families. "He's not coming," Elphaba insisted. "He'll come," said Franz. "If anybody can help me explain everything, he can." "I just don't think the man's very responsible; he's like a grown-up kid!" Elphaba exclaimed. Franz looked to the sky. "Yes, but his children trust him." "And your kid doesn't trust you?" Elphaba asked sarcastically. "She does, but I can't explain everything without help." "That's what Paton and Julia are for." "I can't help it, I barely know them," Franz insisted. "How long are you two going to argue?" Asked a very annoyed Glinda. Elphaba, obviously ignoring Glinda, turned to Franz and said, "Don't you think you're being a little bit controlling? Just a tiny bit psychotic, maybe?" "He _can_ be a little overprotective," agreed Glinda. "Glinda and Elphaba, agreeing? Have we stumbled into a parallel universe?" Said a voice from outside the tent. "Hello, Kody!" Glinda chimed. "Come in!" Franz shot Elphaba a triumphant look. Elphaba sighed. "Fine, you're right. He came." "So, you told them, but you don't know how to explain." Hakoda said, attempting to clarify. "Yes, that's right," Franz agreed. "Well I told ya, you gotta learn to let go," he stated matter-of-factly. "They've all gotta grow up at some point, right?" "When are you going to," Elphaba hissed, trying to ignore the fact that she sort of agreed with him. Hakoda just grinned at her. "You haven't changed at all, Elphie," he said joyfully. "Neither have you," Elphaba said bitterly. "Unfortunately." "Don't be so glum, Elphie," Glinda chimed. Hakoda turned to his old friend. "So, your kid's about fourteen now, right?" "Almost," said Franz. "Not until the summer solstice." Hakoda grinned. "Fifteen, sixteen." "And which of them are you acting more like?" Elphaba retorted. "Ooooh, sharp-tongued today." Hakoda teased. "Have you two lovebirds been arguing?" When Elphaba's face turned an angry shade of red, Hakoda shrugged and raised his hands in surrender. "Joke!" he explained. "You two just remind me of an old married couple sometimes." "I'm with him on this," Glinda agreed. "Oh be quiet," Elphaba shot back. "What? I do," Glinda insisted. "Well let's get on with it, before Elphaba has another excuse to barrage me with sarcastic comments," Hakoda said. "All right," Franz began. "I feel the heartless are coming. Ezekiel is calling them. Maleficent is coming, and Ansem, and Zhao. I think the titans may be coming as well." "You're right," said Hakoda. "If there was ever a better time for the next generation of the Warrior Council to begin, I can't think of it." Elphaba turned to the ceiling. "I think someone else is coming." "Whoever they are, they're getting way more than they bargained for," said Hakoda confidently. "They don't stand a chance." None of them noticed the slender figure hidden in the shadows. He was wearing a blue and white mask.

 _The figure in the mask was called Luke. He was Kronos's most devoted servant. He now returned to the void, bearing the news. "Good evening, scum," he said to his two favorite prisoners. "I would like my mask cleaned and my sword polished." "And I want to go home, get a decent meal, and see my family, but that's not going to happen either, now is it?" Antea snapped. A crooked smile appeared on Luke's face. "Still fighting, eh? Well forget it; you're never going home." "Hello, Luke," said Ursa passively, revealing no emotion at all. "Good to see you again, rat," Luke jeered. "Why do you grovel to him?" Antea asked her sister. "He's only going to treat you like garbage." "Because, if you keep this whole 'rebel' thing going, it's going to lead to nothing but trouble." Ursa whispered back. "You have a husband and kids," Antea argued. "But you hate my husband," Ursa pointed out. "True," Antea agreed. "But I do like your kids—sort of. And I have a husband and daughter of my own." "Your point?" "Why don't you get that we can make it home?" "Because we can't," Ursa muttered in a tone that indicated that the conversation was over._

Aelita floated in pitch blackness; the darkness scraped at her, burned her, and blinded her. She wanted to cry out from the pain, but she couldn't move or floated through the emptiness, reaching her ears; voices she knew. Her father's voice: "This is your destiny." Her mother's voice: "Everything's going to be all right." Jeremy: "I know you can do this." And some that were not so encouraging. Blygs: "Are you just gonna _faint_ again?" A voice she didn't know, one that sounded rather young, but still harsh. "Still got some fight in you, eh? Well forget it." Sissi: "Ulrich and Yumi don't want to be your friends anymore." The voices, these along with others, swirled around in her mind, blending together after a while into they merged into her scream as she awoke. "Not _again,_ " was heard from outside the tent.


End file.
